The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
Five new Franklin Township Police officers – two of whom are graduates of the Youth Police Academy – were ceremoniously sworn in at the January 23 Township Council meeting.
Additionally, four of the five are township natives, said Township Public Safety Director Quovella Maeweather.
Those ceremoniously sworn in, and their hometowns, were:
- Vito Ross of Newark, formerly worked at Franklin High School
- Ashley Ramos of Franklin and a four-year participant in the Youth Academy
- Zairy Salas of Franklin, a four-year participant in the Youth Academy. Salas transferred from the Rutgers University Police Department
- Ishmael Saleem of Plainfield who transferred from the Plainfield Police Department
- Patrick Kanu of Franklin. Officials said Kanu is the department’s first West African uniformed officer.
Speaking about the fact that two of the new officers attended the Youth Academy, Maeweather said, “That is a message to the young people of our town that it is possible to live and serve in the township and be a proud member of this police department.”
Maeweather said that with the five additions, the department more closely represents “the diversity that is in our community. I appreciate each and every one of the citizens of Franklin for trusting myself and the command staff to make sure that we are doing that.”
“We are the leaders in the state of New Jersey in mirroring our community and making sure that we have officers from almost every country represented,” Maeweather said.
She said that she does not have to recruit diverse officers.
“I do not go out looking for these officers, they come here because this community represents what they are looking for,” she said.
Mayor Phil Kramer thanked the new and current FTPD officers for their work.
“To the five who were just sworn in, and everyone who wears a badge … Council stands behind you, both literally and figuratively, because you stand for us and you help keep us safe,” he said.
“Thank you for all you do, thank you for what you are about to do, all five of you,” Kramer said.
Kramer said that Kanu being the first West African to join the police force was “very gratifying.”
“The West African community has been very good to me, and I’m glad that they’re being represented,” he said.
Township Councilman James Vassanella (D-Ward 5) said he felt “blessed and proud” because of how many of the new officers are Franklin natives.
“That’s a fantastic thing because when you’re here, putting your life on the line protecting people, to understand the landscape and the people and everything about it I think makes it more of a connection,” he said.
Councilman Charles Onyejiaka (D-Ward 3), also a West African native, congratulated Kanu on his accomplishment.
Onyejiaka said the late Foday Mansaray, a leader in the West African community until his death fro Covid-19, mentored young Kanu.
“Now he has turned out to be someone we are all proud of,” Onyejiaka said. “No doubt Foday would be very proud of him.”
Township Councilwoman Kimberly Francois said that she was “very pleased that the diversity of the township is being represented by the police officers within the department.”
She said the fact that two of them went through the Youth Academy “made my heart very warm.”
Here are some scenes from the ceremony:
