Police officer honored for 20 years service
Number one quality is empathy
NORTH WALES » One of the borough’s finest — perhaps the finest of the finest — has been honored for two decades of protecting the town.
Council and her fellow officers congratulated Officer Lynne Custer on Tuesday night for 20 years of service to North Wales.
“She’s pretty much done anything we’ve asked her to do for the past 20 years,” said police Chief Mike Eves.
In 20 years with the department, Eves told borough council on Tuesday night, Custer has served as a criminal investigator, “and still carries a caseload,” and also acts as the department’s evidence custodian, who “straightened out a longneglected evidence room.” Custer also acts as the department’s agency coordinator, responsible for the department’s interactions with and access to state police systems, acts as department administrator when the chief is absent, and is the department’s victim service officer.
“Anything we’ve asked her to do, she did. We depend on Lynne a lot, for everything she does, and I’d just like to thank you for the 20 years,” Eves said.
Custer was honored at the start of Tuesday night’s council meeting, before a packed room of council members, friends and family, as Eves and Mayor Greg D’Angelo presented her with a formal recognition award.
“When you have somebody who stays in a job for 20 years, that’s really a gift to the employer, because of the knowledge that’s gained, the ability to mentor the other employees. So for that, I really congratulate you, and say thank you,” D’Angelo said
While police officers may specialize in certain areas of the job, D’Angelo added, he learned in 2014 just after becoming mayor that Custer’s specialty is a key one: empathy.
“I learned how she is with victims of assault, very empathetic, and I think that’s something that we’re very glad to have on board,” he said.
Borough Manager Christine Hart remembered her first interaction with Custer was over a “very minor” medical issue with her young daughter.
“Lynne showed up, fast as lighting, and took over the situation, and made us — and my mother, who was panicking — very comforted,” Hart said.
Councilman Sal Amato recalled a similar situation, when Custer was first on the scene when his wife had a medical incident.
“Lynne was the first to show up. She probably doesn’t even remember it, but if it wasn’t for her, her quick response saved some of my wife’s faculties. Thanks, Lynne, for that,” he said.
A lighter interaction came when Amato decided to ride his bike to a community day celebration, and Custer noticed.
“Lynne stopped me, and gave me a tongue-lashing for not wearing a helmet. And then she proceeded to open up her car, hand me a helmet, and said ‘Put it on. Now you can ride around.’ So thank you very much, I’m sure that saved me too,” Amato said.
Officer Luke Miller, the department’s newest fulltime officer, added that since he arrived in the borough, Custer “has been a great mentor, a great police officer, and she’s helped me, along the way, become a better person, better police officer, and better member of the community here.”
“In police nowadays, turnover is high, so being here for 20 years is hard. It takes hard work, it takes dedication, and it takes just a lot of leeway and a lot of give from your family, because you’ve got to be away for long periods of time,” he said.
After the compliments, and a round of applause, Custer thanked council and her fellow officers for their support, and introduced her partner, their daughter and their foster daughter in thanking them for their support.
“I’ve enjoyed being here in North Wales. I love the residents, and I love the job that I do here,” Custer said.
“Everybody’s always been very nice to me, since I started here. I think I get along with most residents here. I know most of the residents here — by face if not by name because I’m horrible with names,” she said.