Lakewood Police Lt. Louis Sasso Retirement Walkout Ceremony

[Applause] ladies and gentlemen to welcome you here today on the retirement of Lieutenant leis Sasso [Applause] up here by his L 26 orig like to call up deputy chief Fred kapper say a few words very C first of all good afternoon as most of you know Chief Lawson is on vacation and couldn't be here certainly senses a regrets you want to miss but on behalf of the people men women dep we like to congratulate you on your retirement thank you for job well done Le behind a legacy of leadership and dedic Duty for those thank you for service dep best of luck thank you Chief uh next I'd like to call up mayor Minos Miller good afternoon ladies and gentlemen I just wanted to take a moment to tell you all it's with mixed emotions as a mayor of the town that I'm here at the retirement Lieutenant lasso on the one hand it's a profound loss for the town a man of the stature who given the amount of time he's put into the town tremendous loss for the town and we're going to miss you immensely on the other hand that's my brain Target from the heart I wish you a hearty retirement young enough to enjoy the retirement enjoy your family enjoy the kids enjoy the time well spent and with that I'd like to present to you a proclamation on behalf of the township proclaimed by the township Committee of the township of Lakewood at the government governing body and citizens of Lakewood honor Lieutenant Lis Sasso for his 20 years of outstanding service and retirement from the Town Lake Police Department August 31st 2012 L [Applause] congratulations thank you Mayor Miller uh at this time I like to call the SOA president Lieutenant Tom langenberger up the podium first I'd like to say congratulations not only to L but to his whole family I'd like to call UPA Sasso flowers least we could do for the sacrifice that his family makes for him coming here uh every night through these years as we know Lou has worked the evening shift for most of his career um which puts a huge toll on the family um one thing I'd like to point out is we all may uh not forget but not maybe remember all the time is LC Sasso actually uh was one of the officers that was shot uh a few years back so uh his uh surviving that and uh and actually taking a bullet for this Township um deserves a huge Applause and what what deserves a bigger Applause is his courage to come back here and do the job after that traumatic event so I'd like to thank him for that and say [Applause] congratulations would like to present you with this honorable discharge presented to Lieutenant Louis asso in appreciation of service and dedication to the lak police department August 18th 1992 to September 1st [Applause] congratulations [Music] at this time i' like to call up the uh delegate of the PBA and Thea Steve kusac mine's not going to be as sentimental as most before I get to the reason that I uh that I'm up here I got a couple of things say about uh Lieutenant L Sasso we all know the work Lieutenant LS Sasso but I would like to share with you a personal side of Lou some of you may may or may not know but Louie has a very eclectic side to him some may call it intoxicating from travel to poetry I would not have believed it till I lived it with him let me explain what I mean once a year we travel by trolley through the rambling Hills of ocean and Mammoth counties listening to The Fragrant tunes of bag pipes and drums with others who share the same passion for the Irish and Scottish heritages we can sit for hours upon hours listening to the classics in music history while quizzing each other on the knowledge we have gained over the years about the subject Louis's passion for dance most of you most of you may not know this but Louie is a afficianado of modern post Carlton Bank style Dan when he dances most people compare it to an angel dancing on a cloud and I would like to give him a reminder to never stop what he [Music] loves L you can hang me your rear mirror never up with his PV silver life card and a pin I would like to read part of a poem by Lou's favorite poet Kenneth Loggins if you know the words you can Rec I've been working so hard I'm punching my car 8 hours for what oh tell me what I got I've got this feeling that time's holding me down I'll hit the ceiling or else I'll tear up this town tonight I got a cut loose but Loose congratulations I like present you with your silver life card and your pin on behalf of the state in this local there's your PV your silver PV card your life card shiny go out woo [Applause] thank Steve I guess with that like to cut up call up the man of the hour Tower of Power Mr Blue Su shoes himself LC not really good at speaking uh off the cuff so I wrote a little uh little speech i' like to thank everyone for showing up today especially my beautiful family and my wonderful friends um you've all supported me throughout my career I just can't thank you enough you know I didn't thank my co-workers it's not because I'm not thankful for them it's because they're more than just co-workers they're my family they've been with me through ups and downs hopefully more UPS than downs and I've always known that through it all they've had my back and that's what family does they have your back I would also like to thank the police department and the township of Lakewood who gave me this opportunity to live out my dream career when I was a kid I used to watch veretta and starskin hudge for those of you younger people who don't knowa and Stark hudge they were police officers but I used to watch them and I would think yourself that's what I want to do well I've got to do it now granted it's not as exciting all the time as it is on TV but we have our moments I remember graduating from the police academy the years ago now and coming to work and seeing officers who were getting ready to retire and I thought to myself that's going to be me one day I don't know where all the time went because here I stand on the doorstep of my retirement and it just seems like yesterday that I that I walked into this [Music] place I don't know what retirement will bring for me but I know that I leave here with wonderful friends and a lot of great memories that's all I have thank you [Applause] all good job congratulations uh would anybody like to come down and say a few words about the uh soon to be retiring liutenant as all right I'd like to conclude this today and uh wish you and your family the best on your uh retirement Dana kids good luck to [Applause] problem [Applause] that [Applause] a [Applause] B w