Pearl River Rotary Recognizes Local Law Enforcement

The Rotary Club of Pearl River recognized five men who work in law enforcement during its regular meeting Thursday at the Greenhouse Cafe.

The plan was to include six, but Rockland County Sheriff Lou Falco was unable to attend.

"The guys at this table, every one of them, cares that Pearl River is a safe community," said Orangetown Police Chief Kevin Nulty, who organized the presentation.

That included five men who Nulty and Rotary Club President Carol McGrath presented plaques to -- Orangetown Police Officer Robert Sick, Rockland County District Attorney Tom Zugibe, DEA Asst. Special Agent in Charge Christopher Roberts, Rockland County Drug Task Force Director Christopher Goldrick and Orangetown Police Officer Christopher Tierney. 

Orangetown Police Department Lt. Donald Butterworth, a Pearl River resident, was also present and Nulty acknowledged his role in many of the good things the department does. 

"Anybody who wears a badge and is out there 24/7 knows it's a very hard job," Nulty said. "Any time I get the opportunity to recognize the good work police officers are doing, I do it."

The presentation was timed as part of National Police Week. President John F. Kennedy first declared May 15 to be Peace Officers Memorial Day in 1962, with the week that day falls in as Police Week. Since the first recorded death in 1792, approximately 19,000 law enforcement officers in the United States have been killed in the line of duty. That includes 177 in 2011. 

The primary areas of focus in Thursday's presentation were community policing and efforts to stop illicit drugs and narcotics in Rockland County. Tierney, a Pearl River High School graduate, has been the Orangetown Police Department's officer on the Rockland County Drug Task Force for four years.

"There is a lot of good work being done and Chris is one of the foot soldiers out there doing it," Nulty said.

Sick, who is currently recovering from an automobile accident back in December, is not directly involved in dealing with narcotics.

"What I like to recognize during police week is not that one act of bravery or daring thing a police officer does," Nulty said. "I like to recognize an officer who does his job every day. Whatever he has to do, he does it.

Nulty spoke of the importance of all law enforcement working together to deal with the drug problem locally. He said that Roberts, who lives in Pearl River, has been a big help in working with the Drug Enforcement Administration.

"I think that has been the success here in Rockland County," Nulty said. "We realize we can't do it alone as a small town police department. The county realizes they can't do it alone.

"If we don't work together, we are not going to be able to stop the drug problems here in Rockland County. This is the team. You are looking at the team right here that keeps your community safe from drugs. These guys are making the policy and doing it."

Goldrick spoke from the presentation he made at the Prescription Drug Symposium May 10 at RCC. He explained that there has been a "significant" increase in prescription drug abuse nationwide since the turn of the century. This has led to changes in the types of drugs being used and the type of person using them.

"A well-educated, popular student who is a good athlete, plays the violin in the orchestra and is in the drama club, has dreams of becoming an artist or an author, is becoming addicted," Goldrick said. "Unfortunately, our students in today's society have been tagged the Rx generation."

Prescription drugs such as Oxycodone, Xanax, Percocet, Vicodin and Morphine are often used to get high.

Goldrick spoke of ways this problem is being addressed, such as Operation Medicine Cabinet, which gives people the opportunity to properly dispose of unwanted, unused prescription drugs.

"Storage of pain medication is not taken seriously enough," Goldrick said. "They need to be locked in a cabinet as if you are storing a loaded firearm, not out in the open or in medicine cabinets for anybody to take." 

Videos of portions of the presentation are attached to this report.