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Union County Sheriff Peter Corvelli and Union County Commissioner Lourdes Leon would like to congratulate Crime Scene Unit Officers Giovanni Cisneros and Suzette Garrido on successful completion of the 7-week New Jersey State Police Crime Scene Investigations Course.

This 7-week program is an intense 280-hour course that covers fingerprint identification, courtroom testimony, forensic photography, shooting reconstruction, bloodstain pattern analysis, and laboratory examinations (including autopsies, DNA, serology, etc.). In addition to these subjects, this course conducted mock crime scene practicals, report writing exercises, simulated courtroom testimony exercises, and written examinations.

Outside of the 10-week training course at the National Forensic Academy in Tennessee, this is the most elite and intense training course our officers are required to complete.

Traditional Walkout Ceremony for Officer Mike Heller, current PBA State Delegate for Sheriff’s Officer PBA Local 108; honored for over 30 years of service to the Office and to the residents of the County of Union.

Sheriff Peter Corvelli announced the appointment of Carlo Caparruva as Undersheriff of Union County, effective May 20, 2022.

Undersheriff Caparruva has served with the Union County Sheriff’s Office since 1993.  Undersheriff Caparruva has had a distinguished career with the Office, working in each of the divisions, to include assignments in the Court Security and Transportation Units in 1996 through 1998.

He was assigned to the current Field Services Division in 1998 and has remained there as an investigator and supervisor for the last 24 years.  Based on his investigative acumen with the Office, Undersheriff Caparruva was the one of the first Union County Sheriff’s Officers to be assigned to the United States Marshal’s Service NY-NJ Regional Fugitive Task Force.  During his three year tenure, Undersheriff Caparruva and the FTF were responsible for the arrests of some of NJ’s Most Wanted criminals.

Upon his return, he was promoted to Sergeant of the Family Violence Unit.  Under his supervision, the Unit saw a sixty percent increase in arrests, a trend he continued upon his transfer to the Criminal Investigations Unit.  As a Sergeant and Lieutenant, Caparruva was instrumental in the formation of the Office’s Street Crimes Unit, which assisted the cities of Elizabeth and Plainfield to quell impact crimes and gun violence. Undersheriff Caparruva is the recipient of 7 Commendation awards, 2 Unit Commendation awards, 8 Letters of Commendation, 4 Letters of appreciation, and multiple awards from his service with the USMS FTF to include the United States Marshal’s Service commendation award.

Sheriff Corvelli stated, “Undersheriff Caparruva’s well rounded career and leadership will help to continue our aligned vision of professional, empathetic and service-focused leadership for the Office.”

Undersheriff Caparruva will be sworn into Office on May 20, 2022 at 3:00 P.M. in the Courtroom of Union County Vicinage Assignment Judge, the Honorable Lisa Miralles Walsh. Admission to the event is limited due to social distancing requirements. Undersheriff Caparruva will join current Undersheriffs Dennis Burke and Victor Manata and Director Ronald Charles as the executive management team for Sheriff Corvelli.

It is with deep regret that I announce the passing of Sheriff’s Lieutenant David Pepe. Lieutenant Pepe was a 20 year veteran of the Union County Sheriff’s Office. He previously served with distinction as a 9-1-1 telecommunications operator at the Union County and Cranford Police departments.

Lieutenant Pepe received his PTC certification as an alternate route recruit at the John H Stamler Police Academy in December 2001. He was hired by the Union County Sheriff’s Office in May 2002 and worked within the Court Operations Division and Transportation Unit prior to his promotion to Sergeant in 2016. As a Sergeant, he was a field supervisor for the Legal Process Unit.

He took command of the Process Unit in 2020 upon his promotion to Lieutenant. Lieutenant Pepe was the recipient of seven Office commendations and awards for outstanding service. He was an MOI certified instructor who provided in-service training throughout the Office.

Lieutenant Pepe is survived by his beloved wife Elizabeth and their daughters Olivia, Alessandra, and Audrianna.

A funeral Mass will be held at St. Agnes Roman Catholic Church, 332 Madison Hill Rd, Clark, NJ on Monday May 2nd at 9:45AM. Interment will follow at Fairview Cemetery, 1100 E. Broad Street, Westfield NJ.

Undersheriff Amilcar “Mickey” Colon, Captain Jeffrey Coon (28 years), Sergeant Erik Finne (25 years) and Sergeant Vincent Powers (25 years) retired today from the Union County Sheriff’s Office.

Their retirement is marked with a traditional walkout ceremony on the steps of the historic Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth.

Video of the ceremony is on the bottom of this page.

Sheriff Peter Corvelli announced  the appointment of Victor Manata as an Undersheriff of Union County, effective February 15, 2022.

Undersheriff Manata served with the City of Newark Police Department for twenty-five years, retiring as a Lieutenant in 2020.  He began his career in 1993 with the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, serving two years before his transfer to Newark PD.

Undersheriff Manata had a distinguished career with Newark, having served and led in some of their most high profile units, to include 12 years with their Emergency Services Unit/SWAT.  He additionally served with the Union-Essex Auto Theft Task Force, the NPD Auto Crimes Unit and a seven year assignment to the FBI’s Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force.  As a supervisor, the Undersheriff served as the Commander of the NPD Robbery Division and as an Investigative Lieutenant for the Internal Affairs Unit.

Sheriff Corvelli stated, “Undersheriff Manata’s well rounded career and successes within the largest municipal police agency in NJ provide the right type of experience I am looking for to further the goals of the Union County Sheriff’s Office. His leadership and interpersonal skills align with our vision of community oriented law enforcement services.”

Undersheriff Manata will be sworn into Office on February 15, 2022 at 3:30 P.M. in the Courtroom of Union County Vicinage Assignment Judge, the Honorable Lisa Miralles Walsh.  Undersheriff Manata will join current Undersheriffs Amilcar Colon and Dennis Burke and Director Ronald Charles as the executive management team for Sheriff Corvelli.

Contact: U/S Dennis Burke

• Telephone: (908) 527-4959
• Email: dburke@ucnj.org
• Website: www.ucnj.org/sheriff

The Union County Sheriff’s department participated in the Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR), a series of 5K and relay races that is also the largest national grassroots fundraising movement for the Special Olympics.

Detective Edward Suter (25 years) and Investigator Marybeth Gray (25 years) retired today from the Union County Sheriff’s Office. Their retirement was marked with a traditional walkout ceremony on the steps of the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth.

Union County Sheriff’s Office K9 Milo has received a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. K9 Milo’s vest was sponsored by Dr. Julie Tropeano and Family of Elizabeth, NJ and embroidered with the sentiment “In memory of Angelo Tropeano”.

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., established in 2009, is a 501(c)(3) charity whose mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States. This potentially lifesaving body armor for four-legged K9 officers is U.S. made, custom fitted, and NIJ certified. Since its inception, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. has provided over 4,033 vests to K9s in all 50 states at a value of $6.9 million, made possible by both private and corporate donations. 

The program is open to U.S. dogs that are at least 20 months old and actively employed and certified with law enforcement or related agencies. K9s with expired vests are also eligible to participate. There are an estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s throughout the United States.

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. accepts tax-deductible contributions in any amount, while a single donation of $960 will sponsor one vest. Each vest has a value of $1,744-$2,283, weighs an average of 4-5 lb., and comes with a five-year warranty. For more information, or to learn about volunteer opportunities, please call 508-824-6978. Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provides information, lists events, and accepts donations at www.vik9s.org, or you may mail your contribution to P.O. Box 9, East Taunton, MA 02718.   

Union County Freeholder Christopher Hudak and Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski joined Union County Sheriff Peter Corvelli, Union County Manager Ed Oatman, Deputy County Manager Amy Wagner, Office of Veteran Services Coordinator Janna Williams, Brigadier General Edward Chrystal, Berkeley Heights Mayor Angie Devanney and members of local veterans groups at the Union County Prisoners of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) Remembrance Day ceremony on the steps of the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth.

The annual event is sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders to honor and remember prisoners of war and those missing in action. The National POW/MIA Recognition Day is observed each year on the third Friday of September.

(Photos by Jim Lowney/County of Union)