Monroe officer Kevin Bielski still serves township
After more than a decade as a member of Gloucester County’s SWAT team, Det. Sgt. Kevin Bielski was honored for his service with a proclamation at the Monroe council meeting on March 13.
Bielski – who rose to the level of assistant sniper group leader on the team – retired in December, but will continue to serve the township.
In the proclamation, the county’s board of commissioners said Bielski showed “extreme professionalism in dealing with such critical incidents, under high-stress conditions, with selfless dedication to his oath as an officer, his commitment to the SWAT team and to all citizens of Gloucester County.”
Bielski became a member of the SWAT Team as a tactical team operator in 2011. He qualified in the position of team sniper in 2012 and finished his career in the sniper group role.
The county’s SWAT team is comprised of law-enforcement officers from local and county police departments and is under the direct control and supervision of the county prosecutor’s office, according to its website. The team has four branches: administration, legal, negotiations and tactical.
The SWAT team is activated during “critical incident situations” that can include:
- A barricade situation where an armed or potentially armed suspect in any location refuses to comply with demands for surrender.
- The holding of a hostage by an armed or potentially armed suspect.
- Terrorist actions or threatened violence by groups or an individual.
- A high-risk situation in which a suspect is believed to be armed and may resort to using weapons when confronted with arrest or a warrant service.
- Personal protection for public officials, dignitaries and witnesses or suspects, based on a threat or potential threat.
