The North Jersey Regional Crime Prevention Officers Association held its annual award ceremony on December 14, 2006 at the Prospect Heights Care Center in Hackensack, New Jersey. Due to the leadership of Lt. Patrick Fay of the Hackensack Police, who is president of the association, over 100 community representatives attended.

The heart of the association is community which is clearly expressed in the principles of crime prevention which state:

• Crime prevention is essential for community
• A responsibility of all levels of government
• Central to law enforcement
• Inclusive of all elements of the community
• Dedicated to the quality of life for every community

Representatives from the community included:

• Teaneck and Hackensack High Schools including teachers, parents, students, administrators and family members
• Hackensack Police
• Englewood Cliffs Police
• Lyndhurst Police
• Fairleigh Dickinson University
• Bergen County Sheriffs Department
• Carlstadt Police
• Federal Bureau of Investigation
• Hamilton Police
• Fairlawn Police
• Jersey City Police
• Public Service Electric and Gas
• Teaneck Police
• Englewood Police
• American Association of Retired People
• Wachovia Bank
• Springfield Police
• Saint Anthony's Church
• Crime Stoppers
• Orange Police
• New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness
• American Muslim Union
• Community Policing Safety Center of New Jersey

Award recipients for 2006 were as follows:

• Officer Kenneth J. Martin
     Police Officer of the Year
• Neil Pitagno
     Law Enforcement Officer of the Year
• Deputy Chief Frank Zisa
     Chief's Exceptional Service Award
• Under Sheriff Alan Ust
     Chief's Exceptional Service Award
• Art Koster
     Citizen of the Year
• David Miles
     Community Partnership Award
• William Moyano
     Student Leadership Award
• Matthew Sanchez
     Student Leadership Award

Exceptional Service Awards

• Allen C. Kriney
• Officer Gary Boesch
• Jesse Thatcher
• Officer Joseph S. Careccio
• Dean Mattalian
• Vincent J. Bove, CPP

Aside from the presentation of the awards, one of the highlights of this extraordinary community event was a state of the art PowerPoint/Video presentation of the 2006 Hackensack Youth Police Academy. The Youth Police Academy is one of the nation's most dynamic community policing initiatives for it allows a strong bond to develop between the youth of the community and the police. This takes place in a highly educational environment that cultivates leadership, trust, dedication, perseverance, teamwork, courtesy, respect, character, discipline and patriotism.