With a crowd of well over 100 residents and fellow officers praising, applauding and sharing special moments with him, Police Captain Harry Murtha had his final walkout of the Atlantic Highlands Police Department Friday, August 28, telling the crowd ”all there is is love here.”
But the retiring police officer had started his last day on the job at 7 a.m., when he attended mass at St. Agnes Church, and the Reverend Thomas Mallavarapu, parochial vicar of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish of which the Murthas are members, led the crowd at Mass in praising and thanking Murtha for his years of dedication towards helping others and providing outstanding law enforcement for the community.
Murtha’s ceremony was held in the department parking lot where the volunteer fire department had hoisted a large American flag and the police vehicles were lined up along the perimeter of the area.
Included in the afternoon crowd at the end of Murtha’s workday were the five mayors under whom Murtha served while on the department for the past 30 years, including former mayors Michael Harmon, Fred Rast, Rhonda LeGrice and Loretta Gluckstein, and current mayor Lori Hohenleitner. Former Mayor Richard Styker who served before Murtha was on the department, but knew him well, sent messages of congratulations and praise for a job well done and congratulations on his retirement.
The Mayor and Council had unanimously passed a resolution at the previous Council meeting which was read at the meeting and praised the officer for his years of service.
Also on hand to congratulate him were members of the Ocean Township Police Department, Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, Middletown Police Department, New Jersey State Police and Highlands Police Department . Highlands Chief Robert Burton recalled always knowing Murtha most of his life and presented Murtha with a plaque from the entire Highlands Police Department for a “career spent helping others and maintaining an outstanding working relationship with the adjoining borough’s police department.”
Prior to the ceremony that followed his walkout, the officers all stood at attention as Murtha went up to each of them sharing handshake and hugs, as well getting plenty of slaps on the back, as each recalled special times during his career in which they had interacted. Former Borough Administrator Adam Hubeny, EMT Lance Hubeny, and members of the fire and first aid departments were also on hand to say congratulations to the officer on his retirement.
But it was Murtha’s own Chief, Scott Reiner, who said it best recalling that the officer spent “nearly three decades of his life to his community identifying it as “ a remarkable amount of time to serve any organization.” Then, he pointed out, “the number of years only tells part of the story.”
“Harry has always been much more than a police officer. He has been a mentor, a friend, a problem-solver, and someone who could always be counted on when you needed him,” the chief told the crowd.
Speaking from a personal point of view, he noted “throughout my time working with Harry, one of the things that has always stood out to me is his willingness to help others. It didn’t matter if the task was big or small. If something needed to be done, Harry was usually one of the first people willing to step up and help out. He has always been someone who puts other people first, which is a quality that is difficult to teach.
You can teach someone how to write a report, conduct an investigation, handle a call, or supervise a shift. But you cannot teach someone to genuinely care about the people around them. Harry has always had that quality. He cares about this department. He cares about the people who work here. And most importantly, he cares about the people of Atlantic Highlands.”
Chief Reinert continued “Over the years, Harry has been a familiar and trusted face throughout this Borough. Generations of residents have interacted with him, and countless people have benefited from his willingness to help, his patience, and his compassion. While I am proud to call him Captain Murtha, I am even more proud to call him a friend.”
Turning to address Captain Murtha, who himself was having an emotional time in accepting the honors, the Chief said to the Captain “When people look back at the history of the Atlantic Highlands Police Department, your name will be part of that history. And more importantly, the impact you have had on the people who worked alongside you will continue long after you leave the building for the last time.”
Then he listed some of the many reasons why the local Department, was thanking him: for the long hours, the sacrifices, the countless times you put someone else’s needs ahead of your own, your leadership, your friendship, and most of all “ thank you for 30 years of service to the Borough of Atlantic Highlands. You gave this department and this community the very best of yourself. You have earned the opportunity to step away, spend time with your family, enjoy the things you haven’t always had time for, and start this next chapter of your life.”
Chief Reinert also told Murtha how much he is appreciated and that people are “genuinely going to miss having you around. From everyone at the Atlantic Highlands Police Department and from the residents of the Borough you have proudly served for three decades—thank you.”
Amid applause and some tears, Murtha thanked his parents, his wife and children, for the help and sacrifices they made to enable him to fulfill his law enforcement duties and to always be there with him. He thanked all the borough residents and fellow officers, and promised everyone “you’ll see me around. I love Atlantic Highlands and I will be here.”
He then presented bouquets of flowers to his wife, children, mother, and Kathleen Sweeney of the Shore Casino, whom Murtha frequently referred to as his “adopted grandmother.”
Thank You Harry
