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McKeon promotes two officers, then says goodbye
The Rockville Centre village board promoted two police officers before bidding a fond farewell to outgoing Police Commissioner Jack McKeon at its final meeting of 2009 on Dec. 15.
The officers, Ernest Ziegler and Robert Schroeder, both of whom have been with the RVCPD for many years, were promoted to sergeant by McKeon in front of their friends, families and fellow officers.
Ziegler has been a police officer for nine years, and joined the RVCPD in 2002. According to McKeon, he has made more DWI arrests than anyone else on the force, and has received 12 commendations. “He’s an active cop and well deserves this promotion,” McKeon said.
Schroeder worked for the NYPD before joining the Rockville Centre force in 1997. He earned a Bronze Star for bravery after making an armed robbery arrest a few years ago.
Inspector Richard Fantry, the department’s executive officer, read the oath of office to the new sergeants. After Ziegler and Schroeder had their pictures taken with Mayor Mary Bossart and their families, Bossart and the Board of Trustees presented a proclamation to McKeon, who is retiring on Dec. 30.
“Jack is the longest-serving police commissioner in Rockville Centre history,” Bossart said. “And we can never do enough tonight, any night or at any event to thank [him].”
The proclamation listed McKeon’s accomplishments and thanked him for his 19 years as commissioner. It also touched on his friendliness and quirky sense of humor, mentioning a time when, while piloting a two-seater plane with someone who had won a sightseeing tour in a Sandel Center raffle, McKeon feigned a heart attack at the controls, and in the process almost gave his passenger a real one. “You had to be there,” McKeon joked.
After Bossart finished reading the proclamation and presented it to McKeon, he addressed the crowd for what was probably the last time as police commissioner. With his good friend Fantry next to him, McKeon thanked the village for allowing them both to serve.
“Rockville Centre was very kind to us,” McKeon said. “It allowed us to get an education, I was able to pursue a military career, I was able to pursue an aviation career, a police career. I have nothing but gratitude.”
