History was made in North Bergen on Thursday afternoon, as the municipality swore in 11 Special Law Enforcement, Class II Officer (SLEO II) recruits during a ceremony held at Township Headquarters. The event, attended by a packed room of family, friends, and community members, marked a significant milestone as the largest SLEO II class in the township’s history.
The Class II Officers taking their oaths of office were:
- Christopher A. Castillo
- Mark A. Cerqueira
- Gabriel V. Choche
- Moufid Hatoum
- Jason J. Lopez
- Enrique Marrero III
- Kayleen Ocasio
- Nicholas Pino-Riquelme
- Sebastian Perez-Messina
- Sandy E. Santos Jr.
- Jeffrey Santos-Garcia
During the ceremony, Mayor Nicholas Sacco stated, “This is a great way to start the new year. These officers are not just stepping into a career—they are stepping into a commitment to serve and protect our community. When other communities were shifting towards smaller police forces, we put ours first and look at how safe our town is, number 6 in the state, and look at the crowd supporting our young recruits. I’m very proud of them and I’m proud of what North Bergen has achieved over the years.”
Public Safety Commissioner Allen Pascual added, “Today is not just about these officers—it’s about the community they will serve. I am confident they will represent North Bergen with honor and dedication.”
The new recruits will attend the Hudson County Public Safety Training Center beginning later this month.