The ceremony included remarks by Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez, Jersey City Deputy Police Chief Nicola Flora and Cathy McBride, whose son, Melvin Santiago, was killed in the line of duty in 2014.
Jersey City Police Chief Michael Kelly will retire in February. Here’s a look back at his 34-year career.
Updated Jan 10, 2021;
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Michael Kelly said he remembers his first day at the Jersey City Police Academy like it was yesterday.
Kelly and his classmates were lined up outside of a building at Caven Point, where the academy used to be. A drill sergeant marched from the distance and appeared before them wearing high leather boots, a leather strap across his chest and a big hat.
The man began yelling at them to get in line and Kelly, for the first time, said to himself, “What the hell am I doing?”