Mayor Nicholas Sacco and Public Safety Commissioner Allen Pascual swore in four new Special Law Enforcement Class II Officers at a ceremony in town hall chambers on Tuesday, Feb. 16.
SLEO II officers are part-time. Three of the new officers will attend Passaic Police Academy for additional training, while one is already certified.
Representing in the community
Based on the township’s resident-only hiring policy, all four are North Bergen residents. According to the township, this ensures that the department continues to accurately represent North Bergen’s diverse community. Two of the four are Hispanic-American, while the other two are Arabic-American. All are bilingual.
Roberto J. Gonzalez graduated from the Passaic Police Academy in August of 2019 and is pursuing a Criminal Justice degree from New Jersey City University.
Rami N. Khalil is a lifelong resident of North Bergen who worked as a clerk in the Bureau of Criminal Investigation for four years. He is pursuing a Finance degree from Montclair State University.
Teodulo J. Perez immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 13. He is a volunteer firefighter in Fairview.
Raheed J. Siyam is another lifelong North Bergen resident. He has a bachelor’s degree in Justice Studies with a minor in Arab Studies from Montclair University.
Police Chief Peter Fasilis served as Master of Ceremonies at the swearing in. Pastor Paul Haviland performed the invocation and benediction. Also in attendance were members of the new officers’ families, along with representatives from the township administration and the police department.
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