The Somerset County Sheriff’s Office has a new captain and three new sergeants, including one with four paws.
The promotions were announced on July 1 by Somerset County Sheriff Darrin J. Russo, who was holding the swearing-in ceremony. The oath of office was carried out by Somerset County Assignment Judge Thomas Miller, followed by Shanel Robinson, director of the Somerset County Commissioner.
“It is a pleasure for me to swear to these three new supervisors and our police dog today. Everyone has done everything in their careers to do the right thing, to serve the community, and to make the Sheriff’s Office very proud of them, ”said Russo.
Promoted to captain is Michael DiGuilio, who was hired from the Sheriff’s Office in 2001, where he was assigned to the Law Enforcement Department and served as Prosecutor for the Family, Civil and Criminal Divisions at the Somerset County Courthouse.
In 2003 he was appointed Field Training Officer for the agency, where he revised and updated the entire program. Two years later he was assigned to the detective agency, where he worked on child support enforcement, background checks and criminal investigations. In 2014, he was promoted to sergeant in the detective’s office while still serving as the agency’s senior field training officer. In 2017, DiGuilio was promoted to lieutenant, where he oversaw front desk operations and was assigned to the Internal Affairs Investigation Department. DiGuilio and his wife Michelle have a daughter Shana and a grandson.
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K-9 Officer Shannon Snook became a World War II hero along with her German Shepherd K-9 partner Basilone, named after Raritan Borough resident and U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. John Basilone. The two work as a certified patrol / tracking team.
Hired in 2015, Snook and Basilone have built a reputation for prosecuting criminals, assisting in arresting suspects, locating missing people at risk, and recovering evidence such as money, handguns, and the proceeds of crime. They are also working to foster relationships between law enforcement and the community by offering K-9 demonstrations.
Earlier this year, Snook and Basilone competed in their first United States Police K-9 Association national competition, finishing in second place. Snook also participates in the Police Unity Bike Tour, is a member of the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard and a certified Emergency Manager. Snook holds a bachelor’s degree from William Paterson University and is a member of the International Sociology Honor Society. She is a former Somerset County’s Outstanding Women in Government Award winner.
Also promoted to sergeant was Adrian Romero, who was hired in 2009 after graduating from the Somerset County Police Academy as the assistant class leader for Police Class 44-10. He is a member of the Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard, Special Response Team, and a Field Training Officer.
In 2014, he was assigned to Somerset County’s SWAT team and served as an undercover task force officer with the Drug Enforcement Administration from 2016-2017 to assist with investigations that included surveillance and search warrant enforcement.
As of 2018, Romero was assigned to the Administration Department overseeing the Project Lifesaver program, which specializes in helping seniors with Alzheimer’s disease and special needs children with autism. He also supports the agency in training new recruits for the Sheriff’s Office and prepares them mentally and physically for the police academy. Romero also helps oversee the Sheriff’s Office’s new internship program and supports the hate crime detection and prevention unit.
During the ceremony, Russo also honored Arthur Wildman of Bridgewater as the first Honorary Life Member of the Sheriff’s Office. After his daughter, Alison, an avid dog lover, was killed in the Ground Zero terrorist attacks in New York City on September 11, 2001, Wildman and his family established the Alison Marie Wildman Foundation, which was previously the K-9 unit of the Office has supported Sheriffs for 20 years with more than $ 50,000 in donations.
“We are honored to have Arthur Wildman as an official member of our Sheriff’s Office family,” said Undersheriff Tim Pino.
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