TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—Council chambers were packed with law enforcement officers and their families—and firefighters and EMS volunteers—the evening of Aug. 12 as three exemplary township police officers were promoted.
Enthusiastic applause followed the swearing in of each of the men, whom Capt. Rich Skinner said were remarkable public servants who lead by example: Cpl. Jason Gugger, Sgt. Steven Riedel, and Police Officer Peter Vereb.
In June the Police Department announced the retirement of Sgt. Thomas Lawton, a distinguished veteran of more than 30 years.
• Gugger, a lifelong resident of the Township, lives here with his wife Heather and their two daughters, Regan and Jordan.
He graduated New Jersey City University with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
He’s served on the Fire Department for 22 years, including a stint as chief, and is battalion chief. In this capacity he follows in the proud footsteps of his father, Rick and his uncle Jeff.
He also is a member of the Executive Board for Pascack Valley PBA Local 206.
Gugger is a 17-year veteran of the Police Department, hired in January 2002. His primary assignment is to the patrol division, where he serves at field training officer and active shooter instructor.
He is certified as an instructor for the prevention of and response to suicide bombing incidents, training he received at Counterterrorism First Responder Training at New Mexico Tech.
He also is assigned to the Detective Bureau, where his supervisor, Detective Heather Castronova, says she is privileged to work with him. There, she said, he functions with distinction as the evidence officer, Megan’s Law officer and humane law enforcement officer.
In his career Gugger had been involved in more than his share of critical and dangerous incidents. One such incident took place back in March 2011 with Sgt. Michael Glock, also of the WTPD.
As a result of their highly credible actions and heroism on that night, they both received the highest award the NJ PBA can bestow, the Medal of Honor—the definition of which is an outstanding act in the line of duty, with imminent personal hazard to life with knowledge of the risks involved.”
Skinner said, “Jason is a source of pride and a credit to the Township, his family, his department and his profession and I am proud and honored to congratulate him on his promotion to corporal.”
• Riedel is a lifelong resident of the township. With his wife Kelly and his son Steven and daughter Meghan, he has a family of civil servants in the law enforcement profession.
Riedel, who enlisted in the United States Navy in 1984 on active duty as an air survival equipment operator, is a member of Washington Township Veterans of Foreign Wars post 6192 and a past member of the Fire Department.
Skinner said Riedel is a 20-year veteran of the Police Department, where today he is a patrol supervisor and serves as a firearms instructor and investigator and assists in the 1033 Military Excess Property Program, which transfers excess military equipment to civilian law enforcement agencies.
Riedel received a PBA Local 206 President’s Unit Citation for his invaluable contribution to a critical incident he responded to in the beginning of 2019.
He also received several awards for lifesaving and critical care. And he has received the Mothers Against Drunk Driving Award for record numbers of DUI arrests within the Township—for 19 consecutive years.
• Vereb is a Pascack Valley native and Westwood Regional High School graduate. He studied criminal justice at Bergen Community College and began his law enforcement career as a Class 1 special officer in Lavallette.
He was hired by the Demarest Police Department as Class 1 special and became a Class 2 special.
During this time, he attended the Bergen County Fire Academy and served on the Demarest Fire Department.
He continues to serve his hometown, Westwood, on the Westwood Fire Department.
The Police Department assigned Vereb to traffic at Washington School. He not only impressed his superiors, but also staff and parents at Washington School, who have written the department to say how well “Officer Pete” was working out.
Skinner said, “I truly believe that you can train anyone to be a police officer but to be a cop you have to have something in you. Pete’s dad, Detective Peter Vereb, instilled those intangibles in him. He also taught him how to shoot. Peter is now a Washington Township police officer and we are ready to watch him become the cop that will make us all proud.”
— Photo courtesy Township of Washington Police Department