northjersey.com
Kimberly Redmond
January 16, 2010
[Excerpts] Rockland County authorities are investigating the death of a Woodcliff Lake Police sergeant that occurred this morning. Sgt. Frank Ryan, a 25-year veteran of the department, was found dead in Rockland County earlier today... According to a Breaking News Network (BNN) alert from this morning, authorities were conducting a suicidal party search when the victim was located in New York... [Full article here]
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BOROUGH GRIEVES OVER POLICE SERGEANT’S DEATH
ReplyDeletenorthjersey.com, Pascack Valley Community Life
By Kimberly Redmond
January 21, 2010, 1:20 AM
Rockland County authorities are investigating the death of a Woodcliff Lake Police sergeant that occurred on Saturday, Jan. 17.
Sgt. Frank Ryan, a 25-year-veteran of the department, was found dead in Rockland County on Saturday morning, according to a press release issued by the Woodcliff Lake Police Department. His death, said the release, "is not considered suspicious at this time."
"The entire police force, his family, the whole town is in grieving. It's a tragic loss for everybody," said Woodcliff Lake Councilman Robert Rosenblatt, who serves as the assistant police commissioner.
"He was a really good cop. He had the respect of the police force and the respect of the council. He worked very hard. He truly was an asset to the Woodcliff Lake Police Department and he will be missed."
"He was an excellent, excellent officer," said former Woodcliff Lake Mayor Josephine Higgins. As a member of the Tri-Boro Ambulance Corps, Higgins said she grew to know Ryan "very well" when responding to calls that would require assistance from police.
"He was very good with patients, especially when it came to calming them down," said Higgins, "[And] he was protective of us [emergency service workers] working at the scene."
His willingness to help extended to many areas of the community, said the former mayor, pointing to Ryan's participation at a senior breakfast last spring. "Last May, Officer [Kathy] Powers started a breakfast for the seniors and Frank was the chief cook. Afterwards, he spent so much time cleaning the place spic and span. You could tell he was a marine!" she said. "He did such a nice thing for the seniors."
"I think everyone is still in shock," said Higgins. "It hasn't settled in."
Authorities were in the process of conducting a suicidal party search when the victim was located in New York, according to a Breaking News Network (BNN) alert from Saturday morning. The alert, which requested the response of an ambulance and paramedics, stated that it was unknown if he'd shot himself.
Authorities from Rockland County Sheriff's Department and the Orangetown Police Department did not return calls.
E-mail: redmondk@northjersey.com