Page 16 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • September 7, 2011 Area This month, Thomas Bedoe will become the newest member of the Midland Park Police Department. The 24year-old Wayne resident was chosen from a field of four candidates, although two withdrew from the running after securing posts in other communities. According to borough officials, Bedoe will be sworn in on Sept. 8 and will begin his new duties on Sept. 12. The new hire will bring the police department to a total of 14 members. Bedoe is a graduate of the Cape May County Police Academy, which he attended through the alternate route program. This program, which was suspended last year, allowed civilians to pay their own way through police academy training, rather than secure a job in a community that would pay for the course. Bedoe earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Rowan University and is currently working on his master’s in administrative science at Fairleigh Dickinson University. He is a volunteer firefighter in his hometown. Under the borough’s current PBA contract, Bedoe will be paid $32,269. Midland Park Police Chief John Casson said Bedoe and Police department poised to welcome Wayne resident his final competitor were both viable candidates. Once the council made the decision to hire Bedoe, Chief Casson said he chose to call the unsuccessful candidate first to deliver the news. Casson said he encouraged the other individual to apply in Midland Park again when another opening becomes available. “We’re looking forward to having (Bedoe’s) enthusiasm on the force and welcome him aboard,” said Councilman Bud O’Hagan, the governing body’s liaison to the police department. “We were very pleased with the field of candidates presented,” Midland Park Mayor Joseph Monahan told Villadom TIMES. “Thomas interviewed very well and, beyond his technical qualifications, he exhibited those traits -understanding, patience and ‘level-headedness’ -- we felt were important to our community as well as the leadership qualities that will serve him and Midland Park well into the future.” Asked if the borough had sought candidates who already had police academy training, Mayor Monahan said, “Not exclusively, but the final field of candidates happened to have it.” Monahan also addressed the addition of a new police officer as it relates to Chief Casson’s impending retirement. “As we all know, Chief Casson’s mandatory retirement by mid-2012 is a given. As such, we’ve focused on putting existing staff in a better position as well as filling open rookie positions for that eventuality. Having the benefit of the recent, already budgeted new hires for a year or more in advance gaining experience allows us greater flexibility for deciding on how to satisfy Chief Casson’s vacancy when that sad day comes. We wish John well and can never thank him enough for his leadership and wisdom over the last four-plus decades,” the mayor said. Casson became police chief on Jan. 1, 2007. Before his promotion to head of the department, he had been serving as acting chief after Robert Klingen, the former police chief, took terminal leave in July of 2006. Casson joined the force in 1968 and doubled as the department’s detective on a part-time basis for a number of years until the position was made full-time in 1994. He continued to perform the detective’s duties while he was acting chief. The Cranberry Stethoscope program was recently established in memory of Dr. Michael Lippe, former director of Good Samaritan Hospital Emergency Department. The first cranberry-colored stethoscopes were presented to the late August graduates of the Rockland Community College’s paramedic class. Eleven graduates, including Kyle Black, Rory Brannigan, Edward Fox, Vito LaVilla, Ana Molina, Matthew Mulvany, Brandon Smith, Abraham Taub, Elyokem Ungar, Michael Will, and Tiffany Williams received their certification along with a distinctive stethoscope. Taub, who spoke on behalf of his class, thanked Suzanne Lippe, wife of Dr. Michael Lippe, for the precious gift. “I think it was a very good choice because the stethoscope is probably the one and only piece of equipment usually not provided by the company or shared from partner to partner, yet it is also one of the most important and mostused diagnostic tools in the pre-hospital setting,” Taub said. Cranberry Stethoscope program pays tribute to doctor The cranberry stethoscopes will be an annual gift to RCC graduation paramedics. Suzanne Lippe explained that her husband always carried a cranberry-colored stethoscope because he believed it was less likely to be stolen. Hudson Valley Paramedic Association President Walter Dusseldorp delivered the commencement speech. His message to the new graduates was to ensure that they are going to take each emergency response seriously, fight off complacency, and make a difference. “Dr. Mike S. Lippe has been a great friend to emergency services and even more instrumental in support of paramedics,” Dusseldorp added. “Mike’s passion for medicine both in pre-hospital and emergency room settings was event in ways that are rarely seen anymore. Mike always took his time explaining complex procedures to his patients or answer any question a paramedic might have had about a patient presenting condition.” HVPA is a not for profit association in support of professional development of fellow paramedics and students. Visit www.myhvpa.org for additional information.