#BlueFriday — Congratulations to Princeton, NJ's finest

Two great law enforcement leaders have come to the end of their long careers protecting and serving. Jodi and I were honored to stop by and congratulate two local leaders retiring from the Princeton Police Department.

Lt. Ben Gering and Chief Jon Bucchere celebrated their retirement with friends and colleagues at a local favorite spot, Amalfi's in Lawrenceville.

Chief Chris Tash, Lt. Ben Gering, Chief Jon Bucchere, Bill Spadea

We met Ben when he was a young police officer in Princeton soon after we moved into our first Princeton home in 2004. Jodi reached out to the local police after we moved in when we were deciding on an alarm system and the best way to protect our home.

Then Officer Gering stopped by and did a security check on our home and when he saw our son Michael, who was just over one year old, and daughter Elizabeth who was six, he apologized for not having some of the kid-friendly giveaways in his car and promised to come back.

Several hours later he came back with some merch for our kids. Jodi wrote a letter to the chief to praise the thoughtfulness of the young officer. Fast forward a few years later when Jodi and I were a host couple for our local Church pre-cana classes (Catholic marriage prep). There was Ben Gering and his bride-to-be Jen, also a Princeton police officer.

We were all reintroduced and Jen thanked Jodi for the letter she wrote years earlier. We've been friends since.

Lt. Ben Gering, Bill Spadea, Lt. Jen Gering, Jodi Spadea

Jen Gering is now Lt. Gering and has another year before she can retire.

It was great to recognize and celebrate a great career for retiring Lt. Ben Gering and Chief Jon Bucchere. It was also a chance to meet and congratulate the incoming Chief Chris Tash who has big shoes to fill and is absolutely up to the task.

Thank you to all of the heroes who protect and serve in the Princeton PD and across New Jersey and America. Brave men and women who put on the uniform every day putting their safety on the line to keep the peace in our communities.

Blue Friday is brought to you by our good friends at VCSsoftware.com

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The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own.

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