Hamilton Police Monument Celebrates Community Support
Hamilton Township’s Police Benevolent Association (PBA) and its former President, Steve Gould tossed around the idea of placing a community monument outside of its White Horse-Mercerville Road Headquarters for a number of years. Sergeant Michael P. Kane however, decided to make that dream a reality when he took over as PBA president in 2014.
“I made it a priority to get the right people on board,” says Sergeant Kane. “Our Chief (James) Collins gave his full support and guidance and Hamilton Mayor Kelly Yaede took immediate interest in the idea.”
Kane credits Mayor Yaede’s backing with awakening public awareness among residents and businesses wishing to show Hamilton Township Police some form of support. “The response was overwhelming,” says Kane.
Sergeant Kane formed a committee within the PBA to organize a monument project that was ultimately completed under current PBA President Detective Robert O’Hare and Vice President, Detective Ed Lugo.
The monument was cut from a block of Barre Grey, Vermont Granite and molded into the shape of an officer’s badge. The year 1927 appears where the badge number should be in recognition of the department’s date of incorporation.
Located at the base of the monument is an inscription that reads, “IN VALOR THERE IS HOPE,” a testament that Sergeant Kane believes to be selfexplanatory when it comes to the essence of police work.
“We decided to place the monument at police headquarters so it’s in plain view of every officer as he or she arrives for duty,” says Kane. “We hope that it serves as a reminder to all officers of how much our community truly supports us.”
Willie Farrell, vice president of Abbey Rose Monuments in Yardville was commissioned to both design the monument and perform engraving on the surrounding pavers. Sergeant Kane praises the talents of Abbey Rose Monuments by stating, “The end result looked better than we could have ever imagined.”
The pavers themselves were supplied by EP Henry a Woodbury, N.J., company that sponsors a “Hero-Scaping Program.” Part of the program’s initiative is to help build and restore monuments as well as encourage citizens and contractors to donate their time and skill sets.
Hamilton’s Warrick Landscaping created the paver area and walkway. Warrick donated all of the labor needed to lay the pavers, as well as the shrubbery, trees and plants. Britton Industries of Lawrenceville stepped forward to donate the base materials for the pavers.
The monument area is bathed in a beautiful blue light at night and the awe-inspiring National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial flag gently waves over it.
“We’re calling it the ‘Hamilton Police Monument,’ and not referring to it as a memorial,” says Sergeant Kane. “Thankfully Hamilton Township Police has never lost an officer in the line of duty.”