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Vernon police celebrate retirees, promotions

| 26 Apr 2016 | 04:23
    Vernon Police Chief Randy Mills presents retired Sgt. William Gebhard with a plaque commemorating his service.
    Vernon Police Chief Randy Mills presents retired Sgt. William Gebhard with a plaque commemorating his service.
    Lt. William Fischer, center right in white, stands with his family and Mayor Harry Shortway, right, while taking an oath of service upon his promotion from Sergeant to Lieutenant in the Vernon Police Department.
    Lt. William Fischer, center right in white, stands with his family and Mayor Harry Shortway, right, while taking an oath of service upon his promotion from Sergeant to Lieutenant in the Vernon Police Department.
    Members of Sgt. Scott Waleck's family pin his new badge to his uniform following his promotion from Corporal to Sergeant in the Vernon Police Department.
    Members of Sgt. Scott Waleck's family pin his new badge to his uniform following his promotion from Corporal to Sergeant in the Vernon Police Department.
    PHOTOS BY DIANA GOOVAERTS Vernon Police Chief Randy Mills presents retired Capt. Brian Jernick with a plaque commemorating his service.
    PHOTOS BY DIANA GOOVAERTS Vernon Police Chief Randy Mills presents retired Capt. Brian Jernick with a plaque commemorating his service.
    Capt. Dan Young, stands with his family and Mayor Harry Shortway, while taking an oath of service upon his promotion from Lieutenant to Captain in the Vernon Police Department.
    Capt. Dan Young, stands with his family and Mayor Harry Shortway, while taking an oath of service upon his promotion from Lieutenant to Captain in the Vernon Police Department.

VERNON – The Vernon Police Department marked the promotion of three officers and celebrated the service of two recent retirees during Monday's Township Council Meeting.
Among those promoted were Lt. Dan Young to Captain, Sgt. William Fischer to Lieutenant and Cpl. Scott Waleck to Sergeant.
Vernon Police Chief Randy Mills said Young joined the department in 2000, was promoted to Sergeant in 2010 and achieve the rank of Lieutenant in 2014.
Fischer was hired in 1994 and from 2003-05 served as part of the Sussex County Narcotics Task Force, where he was one of lead investigators on one of the largest marijuana busts in Sussex County history. Fischer was promoted to Lieutenant in 2010.
Waleck joined the department in 1988 and was assigned to the Detective Bureau in 2014. Waleck also served as as a school resource officer.
Mills also celebrated the service of longtime officers Capt. Brian Jernick and Sgt. William Gebhard, both of whom recently retired.
According to Mills, Jernick joined the Vernon Police Department in 1995 and spent three-and-a-half years as an undercover officer on Sussex County's narcotics task force. Jernick was assigned to the township's Detective Bureau in 2000 and also spent 10 years as a school resource officer during which time he developed the school's crisis management plan. Jernick was promoted and assigned as a sergeant in the Detective Bureau in 2009 before being promoted again in 2013 to the rank of lieutenant. Jernick was promoted to the rank of captain last year.
Mills said Jernick was “the hardest-working officer, the most self-motivated officer” that he's ever worked with.
Mills also praised Gebhard, who Mills said began his career in 1993 as a dispatcher and was hired as a police officer in 2000. Mills credited Gebhard with reviving the township's canine program in 2003 and noted Gebhard and his bloodhound, Miranda, apprehended more than 100 people during their service. In 2011, Gebhard was assigned to the Detective Bureau before being promoted to sergeant in 2013.
Mills commended Gebhard for bringing “a lot of positive recognition for the department” through his work with Miranda.
Both men received plaques from the department commemorating their service.
Additionally, the council issued a proclamation declaring May 15-21, 2016 as Police Week in accordance with a designation established by Congress and the president, and encouraged Vernon citizen to mark the occasion “with appropriate ceremonies and observances.”