2017  ​Service  Member  of  the  Year   Winner

Armando    Aviles
​Essex County Cops for Kids/ Explorer Post #183

2018 -   Captain   Justin   Hoffer

Captain  Justin  Hoffer's  Story​
It’s with honor to nominate Justin Hoffer for Responder of the year of 2018. Justin Hoffer was my CPR instructor when I took my CPR class. Justin gave me the confidence in the ability to perform this life-saving skill. My name is Matthew Hardison and as an athletic coach and former defensive tackle football player on the practice squad for the New York Jets, I have realized that the skill is a necessary skill to learn. Anything can happen on the court or field. On Monday, May 21, 2018 at 8:00pm I was coaching a basketball team at Aberdeen Middle School. One of my players went down and I quickly perform CPR the way Justin taught me. While I was performing CPR with the other coaches EMS arrived and I saw both Justin and other EMTs. They worked on my basketball player. Well I never thought that a 16-year-old could go into cardiac arrest suddenly, it was all new to me. I did everything Justin taught me. Eventually while the EMTs took over CPR, my basketball player regained his pulses back and tried to breath on his own. Justin reassured me and told me that I did everything great and that he is so proud of me. Deep down I am so proud of Justin for responding to this call and for teaching me CPR. Justin did amazing on scene and comforted us and the kid’s parents. Ultimately my player is alive and that is all that matters. If it wasn’t for Justin teaching me this life-saving skill, and if it wasn’t for Justin being hard on me while training we wouldn’t have this child alive today. There are no words that I could say to thank Justin so much for everything he has done for me, for the child, and for the child’s family. I asked one of Justin’s peers who to write to and she gave me this website to nominate him, so I did. In my eyes Justin is a true hero and a staple to your EMS community and to the education community.

2017 - ARMANDO   AVILES

​Armando Aviles  Story
Last year my daughter ran away from home and I was told that she was in extreme danger, because the guys she had been hanging out with used drugs and frequented pimps. I had just met Officer Aviles, through a mentoring program he has, so I went to him for help. Aviles had worked eight hours that day, and was with the kids for four hours after work, but without hesitation, told me to wait until he's done with the kids. He stood out with me until around two in the morning, he went to strategic locations, leaving the word that he will continue to look for that girl, and if whoever was with her, didn't want any problems, then they should advise her to go home. He told this to all his street contacts. We didn't find her, but by morning, she contacted Aviles. No one wanted her near them, they didn't want any problems, so they sent her home. Ever since then, he has been her mentor, who she loves and respects. She is now, looking forward to being an officer, but will first join the guard to serve our country. I'm very grateful to him. He also has nearly one hundred kids he mentors, of Explorer Post 183. He created a basketball tournament, where the kids play against officers to build a bridge between community and law enforcement. Most of these kids hated police officers, now they play with them and want to be like them. My daughter was brainwashed by so called friends and disliked them too. His track team runs marathons, they ran in honor of Harry Ramos, a well-known hero from Newark, NJ. His kids participate in all parades of different races and cultures. There's so much this man does, that I can't list it all. He has also helped with the collection of donations for Puerto Rico, in which they were able to fill four trailers. He also, gives backpacks and supplies, free Halloween costumes, Christmas gifts, three kings day gift...This man is a blessing, an angel in our community.