Sheriff Officer Pat Papero (left) with Mercer County Sheriff Jack Kemler, has been named the Sheriff’s Officer of the Year.  Photo Courtesy of Mercer County, NJ.

Mercer County Sheriff Jack Kemler announced the Officer of the Year for 2017 along with special awards for distinguished units. The Sheriff’s Office annually honors its sworn officers, investigators, and detectives who have excelled in making Mercer County viable and its streets and courthouses safe.

This year’s Sheriff’s Officer of the Year is Officer Pasquale “Pat” Papero. The award is given annually to a well-rounded officer who has exceeded the duty requirements expected of their position and has demonstrated a distinct and positive pattern of service and professional achievement. Officer Papero is currently assigned to the Sheriff’s Office – Airport K-9 Unit. He is a 15-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office. In addition to graduating from the 89th Class of the Trenton Police Academy in 2002, Officer Papero completed extensive training at the K-9 Training Academy of the New Jersey State Police.

“Officer Papero is an accomplished Sheriff’s Officer with an impeccable and commendable record of public service,” said Sheriff Jack Kemler.

Sheriff Officer Papero gets a hug from his partner, K 9 Baron at Operation Dream Lift. Photo by Michael A. Sabo

During his wide-ranging law enforcement career, Papero and his K-9 partners conducted hundreds of searches for illegal substances and explosives that included threats at the airport, schools, government office buildings, and retail establishments. Papero has worked explosive security for large-population events throughout Mercer County, including security details for visiting national and international dignitaries. He also serves as an instructor at the NJ State Police Canine Training Academy in Sea Grit, NJ. Most notably, he assisted extensively in the search for explosives at the Princeton University bomb scare (2013) and worked on the security detail at Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands. He is currently partnered with K-9 Baron on the Sheriff’s Explosives Detection Team.