Photo Caption - New Police Officers:  Bayonne’s newest police officers posed with Mayor Jimmy Davis and their departmental leaders. Pictured left to right: Public Safety Director Robert Kubert, Mayor Davis, PO Shannon Dwyer, PO Jaiden Gonzalez, PO Nikolas Capurso, PO Cody Baran, PO Youssif Girgis, PO Joseph Hojnacki, PO Jonathan Hernandez, PO Vincent Mattiello Jr., Deputy Police Chief Joseph Scerbo, and Police Chief Robert Geisler.

Recently, the Bayonne Police Department held a ceremony in the Council Chambers to swear in eight new police officers and an honorary officer.  The new officers were appointed on July 11, 2024, and graduated from the police academy.

The new police officers are Shannon Dwyer, Jaiden Gonzalez, Nikolas Capurso, Cody Baran, Youssif Girgis, Joseph Hojnacki, Jonathan Hernandez, and Vincent Mattiello Jr.

Officer Shannon Dwyer is a graduate of Bayonne High School.  As an undergraduate at Montclair State University, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Jurisprudence, Law, and Society. She is continuing her education at Montclair State, where she is pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Law and Governance.

Officer Jaiden Gonzalez is a graduate of Bayonne High School.  Before becoming a police officer, he worked in the building trades with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Union Local 164.

Officer Nikolas Capurso is a graduate of Bayonne High School.  He continued his education at New Jersey City University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Fire Science.  Prior to joining the Bayonne Police Department, he worked in security for the Bayonne Board of Education.  

Officer Cody Baran is a graduate of Bayonne High School.  He began his law enforcement career with the Seaside Heights Police Department in 2022.  Then he served as a Hudson County Sheriff’s Officer before becoming a Bayonne Police Officer.

Officer Youssif Girgis is a graduate of James J. Ferris High School.  He earned an associate’s degree in Engineering Science at Hudson County Community College.  He is continuing his education at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, where he is studying Computer and Electrical Engineering.

Officer Joseph Hojnacki is a graduate of Bayonne High School.  He is a third-generation police officer.

Officer Jonathan Hernandez is a graduate of Bayonne High School.  He continued his education at Hudson County Community College, where he pursued a degree in Business.  Before becoming a police officer, he was a locomotive engineer for New Jersey Transit.  

Officer Vincent Matiello, Jr.  is a graduate of County Prep High School.

City Clerk Madelene Medina administered the oath of office to the eight new officers.

In the second part of the program, Dawson Palmarini was made an honorary police officer and an honorary firefighter for the City of Bayonne.  

On July 20, 2019, at the age of 17,  Dawson Palmarini was in a serious motorcycle accident on Route 37 in Toms River, New Jersey.  He hit a car and went about thirty feet into the air and flew the width of the side street.  When first responders arrived on scene, they found Dawson unresponsive and performed life-saving measures on the roadway until he was airlifted to Jersey Shore Medical Center.  He suffered three traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, and spent a month in the hospital.
Upon his release from the hospital, Dawson faced a long road to recovery, but has made tremendous progress over the years.  He has made it his goal to visit every police, fire, and EMS agency in the State of New Jersey, so that he can thank all of the emergency services personnel for the work that they do.  He is trying now to enter the Guinness Book of World Records by seeing how many agencies make him and honorary police officer, firefighter, or EMT.

Police Lieutenant Steven Rhodes presented Honorary Officer Palmarini  with an individualized badge and plaque.  Fire Chief Keith Weaver also took part in the ceremony, and appointed Dawson Palmarini an Honorary Firefighter.

At the ceremony, the Bayonne Police Department Honor Guard led the entrance procession and the Pledge of Allegiance.  Rev. John Fencik offered the invocation and the benediction.    Public Safety Director Robert Kubert, Police Chief Robert Geisler, Mayor Jimmy Davis, and City Council Members At-Large Juan Perez offered congratulatory remarks to the new police officers.

Photo Caption - Welcoming Honorary Police Officer and Honorary Firefighter Dawson Palmarini:  The Bayonne Police Department named Dawson Palmarini an honorary police officer, and the Fire Department designated him an honorary firefighter. Since surviving serious injuries that resulted from an accident, he has thanked emergency services around the state.  The Bayonne Police Department and the Bayonne Fire Department are the latest emergency services to make him an honorary member.  Pictured left to right: Public Safety Director Robert Kubert, Mayor Jimmy Davis, Vincent Palmarini (Dawson’s father), Honorary Officer and Firefighter Dawson Palmarini, Deputy Police Chief Joseph Scerbo, Police Chief Robert Geisler, Police Lt. Steven Rhodes, and Fire Chief Keith Weaver.