Ruiz Sworn-In As Deputy Chief

(Reprinted from Amboy Beacon, Dec. 22, 2010)

PERTH AMBOY — Mayor Wilda Diaz late last week swore-in Capt. Benjamin Ruiz

as Deputy Chief, the first Hispanic senior uniformed commander of the Police

Department, at an emotional afternoon ceremony which was moved to the

McGinnis School, State Street, to accommodate a larger-than-originally-expected

crowd.

Some longtime city residents, who came to the U.S. mainland from San

Sebastian and other Puerto Rican cities, openly wept during the ceremony.

“They never expected that this day would ever come,” Diaz explained

afterward at a crowded reception held at ZPA Hall, Grace Street.

There was a standing-ovation after Diaz pinned the Deputy Chief’s badge on

Ruiz.

A member of the of the Department for the past 22 years, Ruiz joined in

1988 and rose through the ranks to Captain in July 2004.

“I’ve already heard him mention his plans to develop more

community-policing, and I’m certain that Deputy Chief Ruiz will take our Department in bold

new directions that we can all be proud-of,” Diaz said at the ceremony.

“He’s a long-time community leader in Perth Amboy, and it’s an honor to swear

him in as Deputy Chief. On behalf of the City of Perth Amboy, I thank him

for taking-on this new endeavor.”

The Department, which was accredited in June 2009, has established a table

of organization of 132 uniformed officers supplemented by 10 part-time

Special Class I officers and 50 volunteer Auxiliary officers, as well as civilian

911 dispatchers and report-takers and other non-uniformed civilian support

personnel.

The Department maintains an Investigative Division, a Traffic Division, a

Juvenile Bureau, a Domestic Violence Response Team and a public relations

office, and operates a centralized 911 Dispatch Communication Center for all

emergency services, housed in the Public Safety Complex.

“I do best when I speak from the heart, but to make the Mayor happy, I did

write a speech,” Ruiz said after his swearing-in, evoking laughter.

“It has not only been a pleasure of mine to be a resident of this city, but

to now serve as Deputy Chief, I am privileged to serve this community,”

Ruiz declared. “I look-forward to the success of our Department and our city.”

After initially serving as patrolman in the Uniformed Patrol Unit in 1988,

Ruiz was promoted to Detective of the Narcotics Unit and thereafter to the

Juvenile Division in 1991. After being appointed as Sergeant in the Community

Service Bureau, he was elevated to Lieutenant in May 2001, finally serving

as Captain for the past six years, most-recently in the Uniformed Patrol

Division.

Throughout his career, Ruiz has attended numerous advanced training classes

and schools, including Domestic & International Terrorism School

administered by the FBI, Narcotics & Dangerous Drug Law Enforcement administered by

the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Middlesex County Police Instructors Course.

Ruiz also was a 14-year veteran of the Middlesex County Special Operations

& Response Team (SORT), which he headed.

Aside from his 25 years of law enforcement experience, Ruiz also has been

heavily involved in the community as a resident, serving as a former member

of the Housing Authority and Zoning Board of Adjustment.

Ruiz coached several recreational basketball and softball leagues in Perth

Amboy.