Delran officers earn service awards

The Delran Police Department recently held its annual departmental in-service training and 2023 awards presentation.

The department noted the awards on its Facebook page on April 9. Four officers were presented with Meritorious Service Awards:

• Sgt. William Marshall was cited for his actions on May 25 of last year, when he responded to Edgewater Park to assist in the search for a stabbing suspect and helped take the accused into custody.

• Officers Christopher Clawges and Bryan Kirk earned the awards for actions on Sept. 28 of last year, when they were able to safely deescalate a situation involving a juvenile with a knife who threatened to harm himself.

• Officer Erdem Ucak was presented an award for his actions last Dec. 28, when he responded to a call for assistance at an Edgewater Park apartment fire and used experience as a firefighter to rescue an elderly male trapped on his second-story balcony. Ucak was also given the 2023 Mayor’s Award for consistently demonstrating dedication and service to the community and improving engagement between police and Delran residents.

Eight officers were presented Exceptional Service Awards:

• Officer Patrick Reeves was cited for his actions on March 10 of 2023, when he conducted a motor-vehicle stop and determined its operator was under the influence of alcohol. He also located an illegal firearm in the vehicle.

• Officers Travis Karpen, Christopher Clawges, and Tyler Malia were presented awards for their actions last Aug. 8, when they responded to a call for theft of a vehicle with three children inside whom they eventually reunited with their families.

• Sgt. Kevin Ambrose, Det. Joseph Wagner, Reeves and officer Christopher Gonzalez were cited for their actions last Dec. 22, when they responded to the scene of a motor-vehicle crash whose occupants fled the scene on foot. They also located an illegal firearm.

Two officers were presented Life Saving Awards:

• Officers Clawges and Reeves were celebrated for their actions on May 6 of last year, when they responded to a medical emergency for an unconscious male and helped restore his cardiopulmonary function by utilizing CPR and their department-issued AED (Automated External Defribillator).

Officer Tyler Malia was presented the 2023 Officer of the Year Award.

“Malia best exemplifies the high professional standards of the department,” the Delran police department posted on Facebook, “and has consistently performed assigned duties in an exemplary manner throughout the course of the calendar year …

“Malia has exemplified what it means to be a Delran police officer.”

He also was given the Honorable Service Award for his actions on July 19 of last year, when he responded to a TD Bank branch after a report of a male attempting to cash fake checks. The suspect fled and was arrested by the officer after a foot chase.