Dear Glen Ridge Community,
Have you ever noticed the green porch lights in the front entrance to our Public Safety headquarters? Historically, our front door lights are associated with safety and security, serving as a beacon. During bad weather or darkness, their purpose is to send a visual signal to our community that our building is a place where you will find safety. Our porch lights will now be illuminated twenty-four hours a day to signal that one of our own officers, who has spent twenty years keeping our community safe, needs you to keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers, while he recovers.
Charles “Rob” Roberts was hired on June 3, 2000 as a civilian service officer, dispatching calls for the police, fire and ambulance squad, and is about to embark on his twenty-first year of service to the Borough. After being selected by Chief Robert J. Wohlgemuth Sr. to enter the Police Academy he was sworn in as a permanent police officer. Not only is he extremely proud to wear the Glen Ridge uniform and badge #69, he is equally proud to offer assistance to anyone in need.
Rob is the face of the Glen Ridge Police Department. Of his many duties throughout his career you may have seen him riding around town as one of our bicycle Officers, he may have installed your infant’s car seat, or your children may know him through the DARE/LEAD program where he is an instructor. Rob and his wife Alice have three beautiful children, and both live in and work for the Borough. If you know him, you love him. His warm smile and willingness to be a friend, mentor and law enforcement officer has woven him deeply into the fabric of Glen Ridge.
Glen Ridge is the storybook community where residents and supporters have lined the streets with blue hearts and ribbons, dropped off food to the officers working the road and sent me so many emails of well wishes for Officer Roberts, that I have not been able to answer all of them yet. Being raised on Essex Avenue my siblings and I all graduated from the Glen Ridge school system and I am extremely honored to serve the Borough of Glen Ridge as your Police Chief. Growing up in the Borough and now serving my law enforcement career in town has allowed me to become acutely aware of who we are as a community. I would like to take a moment to thank you for your outpouring of love and support for our department and Officer 69.
In closing, I would be remiss if I did not applaud the heroic efforts of Rob’s own police squad. Under the supervision of Sergeant Matthew Koc, after receiving swift and clear dispatching from Community Service Officer Gary Peters; Officers Anthony Re and Christopher Grogan answered the medical call for service during the morning hours of April 21st. Their training and professionalism enabled them to perform life saving measures on one of their own. The Glen Ridge Volunteer Ambulance soon joined them and together with our local Medic Unit, Rob was transported to Mountainside Medical Center. Please continue to keep our entire Department in your thoughts and prayers as Officer Roberts recovers.
Yours in safety,
Sheila Byron-Lagattuta
Sheila Byron-Lagattuta #10
Chief of Police
Glen Ridge Police Department
