BRIDGETON, N.J. — In early September a New Jersey police officer jumped into a river with the ambition of rescuing a suspect.
Officer Sean Peek was trying to rescue a woman suspected of burglary. But his equipment weighed him down, and he died hours after being pulled from the water.
On Friday, he was honored with the state’s first Detective Joseph Seals Valor Award, named after the Jersey City officer killed a year ago, nj.com reported.
Officials announced a total of eight “Excellence in Policing” awards during a virtual ceremony, highlighting cops and prosecutors who created youth programs, helped colleagues deal with stress and expanded community outreach.
Five Bridgeton officers shared memories of Peek, mentioning his love for his daughter, his mentorship of new officers and how caring he was when interviewing children who were victims of crime.
“He was the embodiment of what the oath of this office is,” Patrolman Ronald Broomall said.
The winners showed “dedication, ingenuity and commitment” that both improved policing and “built community trust,” Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said.
