Woodland Park Officials Give Fair Lawn $1,800 Check For Collura Fund

FAIR LAWN, N.J. -- Fair Lawn officials received an $1,800 check from their Woodland Park officials for the Officer Mary Ann Collura Memorial Scholarship Foundation.

Officers Mike Van Ness, Mike Franco, Juan Hinojosa, Rob Manning, Councilwoman Tracey Kellert, Fair Lawn Mayor John Cosgrove, Detective Karen Censullo, Detective David Boone, Fair Lawn PBA President Luis Vasquez, Councilman Vincent DeCesare
Photo Credit: *COURTESY: Luis Vasquez*

Jerry DeMarco

06/23/2016 8:34 a.m.

The money was raised during 2nd Annual Families Behind The Badge Softball Tournament, hosted by the Woodland Park Public Safety Committee last month and organized by Woodland Park Council members Tracy Kallert and Vincent DeCesare.

Police officers from Bergen, Passaic and Essex counties all participated in the tournament, which also raised money for the NJ State PBA Survivors and Welfare Fund.

"Words can't express our gratitude and thanks that Mary Ann's legacy will continue to to live on," Fair Lawn PBA Local 67 President Luis Vasquez said.

Collura, one of the department's most popular officers ever, who was shot and killed on the grounds of the Van Riper Ellis Broadway Baptist Church on River Road after coming to the aid of a fellow officer trying to arrest a murderous ex-con the night of Holy Thursday, April 17, 2003.

She was only 43.

The 18-year veteran was Fair Lawn’s first female police officer and a shining light throughout the community.

She has a street, a rifle range and a post office, among other locations, named after her.

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