Response Time
A conversation with a prominent NJ State PBA member
This month
Mercer County Sheriff s Offi ce Local 187 State Delegate Pasquale Papero
The Vitals
• Grew up in Hamilton Township
• Hired on Dec. 3, 2001
• State Delegate since 2008
• Mercer County Conference Co-Chair
• K-9 Offi cer since 2006
• Member of NJSPBA:
• Collective Bargaining Committee
• Judiciary Committee
• Political Action Committee
• Sheriff s Committee
• Married to Stacy
• Father of Dominic and Lea
F irst Response
The Mercer County Conference has stepped up to run the Garden State
Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) golf outing in October. Why has
it become so important to take the lead on this event and serve this
organization?
The Garden State C.O.P.S. mission statement is to rebuild the lives of surviving members of
law enforcement offi cers who were killed in the line of duty. If you think about what that
means, they’re taking care of our families in case something happens to us. If we can’t take
care of our own, what good are we? It’s a really important group of people. That organization
has really been good to us, and we want to make sure that we give back to them.
Conversation pieces
How did you get into law enforcement?
I was a criminal justice major when I fi rst started college (at Mercer County Com-
munity College). I was also a personal trainer and manager of a gym. I ended up
getting a degree in exercise physiology and social sciences. After working in that
fi eld, I always wanted to be a cop, so I took the Civil Service test, scored pretty
well and was off ered a job.
What’s it like working as a K-9 Offi cer?
Having a dog gives me the opportunity to do a lot more than the typical sheriff ’s
offi ce duties. Right now, I have a dog that’s just strictly bomb trained. It’s really
rewarding to take a dog and teach it to fi nd something or perform a particular
task. It’s something that you take pride in because the dog refl ects you. What-
ever work you put in with the dog is going to be how you’re judged. If your dog
doesn’t perform, you’re not going to look very good.
What has it been like serving as the Local 187 State Delegate for the
past 10 years?
As State Delegates, we get so much training from things like the guest speakers
at the conventions or presentations made by the State Executive Board as far
as any new legislation being passed and the political action surrounding us.
Knowing those things really helps on the job and really makes you a stronger
(PBA) member.
What led you to become involved with the PBA political action eff orts?
This past election, (President) Pat Colligan and (Executive Vice President) Marc
30
NEW JERSEY COPS
■ AUGUST 2018
Pat Papero with his wife, Stacy, and children, Lea and Dominic.
Kovar really got us involved because everything that’s happening through
the legislation aff ecting our jobs. We’re bringing home less money now than
we did six, seven or eight years ago because of things like the 2 percent cap. I
believe that if you want change, you have to be a part of that change. You can’t
just expect somebody else to do it. We try to get as many members involved
by saying, “This isn’t my PBA. This is our PBA.” We have to get involved and let
(politicians) know that we’re watching what they’re doing, and we’re going to
act if necessary.
What are some of the PBA events you’re proud to be involved with?
When I was one of the younger guys on the job, the Mercer County Conference
started a cigar night because we wanted to get involved in the community and
raise funds to help out those in need. We’ve run about seven or eight of them at
diff erent locations for all types of causes. The big one that we have donated to
is the PBA Survivor & Welfare Fund. This year, the money from our cigar night
is going to be donated to the Josh Vadell Foundation and Mallory’s Army. We
wanted to get involved with those two charities because they hit so close to
home.
Last Response
What are you most proud of in your service to law enforcement and the
PBA?
I’m most proud of transitioning from the sheriff ’s offi ce to being a K-9 handler, and then
becoming a certifi ed K-9 trainer through the NJ State Police. For an organization as big as the
State Police to recognize me is very rewarding. It’s funny, I have a lot of diff erent families. I
have my K-9 family, and I have my PBA family. The K-9 family is very close. All of the dogs are
trained the same way by the same people. And I think the PBA family is stronger than ever.
Pat and Marc have really have gotten us engaged with the leaders of the state. They have a
seat at the table. The pension reform that they have been involved with sets the foundation to
protect our futures. We can’t really thank them enough for everything they’ve done.