Saddle Brook PD Surprises Fallen Officer's Daughter

SADDLE BROOK, NJ – Saddle Brook police officers surprised the daughter of a fallen officer in a show of support on her first day of school.

As a tribute to Officer Michael Juliano, who died in August following a six month battle with pancreatic cancer,his colleagues turned up outside of the family’s Saddle Brook home Thursday morning to help make sure Mackenzie’s first day back was a good one.

The teen, in a Facebook post thanking the officers, wrote, “Today was going to be a hard day. i was so happy to walk outside to all of my dads brothers and sisters surprising me on my first day since my dad couldn’t be here.”

The high school junior also said, “You guys are so amazing and you have no idea what it meant to me. i’m so thankful to have you all in my life and my dad is definitely smiling down at you guys for making his little girls day. thank you so much for making my first day special.”

The effort was organized by Sgt. Doug Habermann, as a tribute to Juliano since he “would have accompanied and brought Mackenzie to school.”

Juliano, 47, left behind three children, a granddaughter, his mother, his brother and sister.

After joining the force in August 2000, Juliano earned numerous awards and citations. Among those recognitions: The 200 Club of Bergen County's Life Saving Commendation and the Saddle Brook American Legion Post 415 "Police Officer of the Year" Award.

He was also given a commendation from his department for helping to apprehend the suspect in a 2013 bank robbery.