Patrol Officer, Detective Receive Top Brick PBA Awards

BRICK, NJ — The Brick Township Police Department PBA 230 held its annual awards ceremony, and two 20-year officers received the department's top awards.

Patrolman Michael Miller was the recipient of the Kristopher DeMarco Officer of the Year award, which honors a patrol officer for their overall performance for the year.

Criteria include the officer’s knowledge of the law, accomplishments in the department, and achievements that have brought acclaim to themselves or public acclaim to the department, the PBA said. Miller has been a member of the police department since 2004.

Miller, who joined the department in 2004, has served on the SERT team and the Marine Unit and "has played an integral role in the training and mentoring of numerous new officers," according to a proclamation issued by Mayor Lisa Crate.

DeMarco was a patrol officer who died in 2016 following a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Detective Tara Schinder received the Thomas McNelis Award, which goes to a supervising officer each year. Schinder, who joined the department in 2003, has worked in the detective bureau since 2015 and is one of the department's crisis negotiators.

"Detective Schinder's work has been instrumental in investigating some of the most heinous crimes committed against children, showcasing her profound empathy, tenacity and resilience in seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of our society," a proclamation issued by Crate said.

McNelis, who died in 1996 at age 41, "always knew the right thing to do and he always did it," then-Police Chief Ronald Dougard said. He supervised the midnight patrol shift, and was known for his reliable and sensible approach to the job.

In addition to Miller and Schinder, the following awards were presented to the following officers: