Signal Award Presented to Police Hero

Signal Award Presented to Police Hero Patrolman Peter Yecco was cited for heroic action above and beyond the call of duty Thursday by Commissioner Garrity. He received the Camden Police Department's Distinguished Service Award, as Chief of Police Neale and other high ranking police and civil defense officials looked on. Yecco was one of 16 policemen and three civilians cited by the department. He was honored for entering the Delaware River on April 3 at 2:20 a.m. at the foot of Federal Avenue and assisting to safety three persons who were in a car that had been driven overboard into an abandoned ferry slip. The citation carries with it one week off. 3 Others Cited Three policemen, including Patrolman Monserate Gonzales, who was with Yecco on April 3, were awarded Certificates of Commendation. Gonzales' citation noted that he acted in the "best tradition of the police profession." The others commended are Patrolman Charles Ferry who saved the life of a new-born child and Patrolman Thomas Penn who brought back life by mouth-to-mouth breathing into a two-year-old boy who had apparently died from drowning. Policemen receiving certificates of commendation are entitled to four days off. John M. Dodd of 3615 Westfield Ave., an auxiliary policeman, was one of three civilians receiving certificates of citation. The other civilians cited are Peter Celeste of 532 Line St. and John Monti of 400 Jackson St. Police Commended Other policemen receiving certificates of citation who will be entitled to one or two days off are Patrolman Earl Bates, William Campbell, John Dease, Robert DePersia, Dennis Evans, Anthony Greskovich, Donald Maloy, Anthony Martino, Erwin Ray. Also Patrolmen Alfred Steinmetz, James Styles, Sergeant Earl Wright, Sergeant John Ferry and Detectives Nathaniel Jones, Thomas Scarduzio and Golden Sunkett. The board of review of the Camden Police Department was recently organized at the direction of Chief Neale. Inspector Edward Watson is chairman of the board. The highest award is the honor award given for heroic action above and beyond the call of danger to the life of the officer named in the citation.