Lt. Paul Tomanek was recently awarded a 6th honorable service medal, becoming the most decorated police officer in the 151-member police department in the city of Clifton, NJ. He has worked for the department 22 years, having gone there shortly after his 1977 graduation from Broome Community College.

   Always interested in law enforcement, Lt. Tomanek graduated in Liberal Arts with a concentration in criminal justice.

   The honorable service medal is awarded to people who go above and beyond what is expected. Lt. Tomanek earned his medals for saving someone from a high rise building fire, catching armed robbers, and stopping an emotionally disturbed person from using firearms. In one incident, he was off duty, traveling with his wife and child to pick up baby formula, when he observed a robbery in the store. He pursued the burglars in his own car, first dropping his wife and baby off at a corner. The robbers tried to ram him into the median and were caught only after he'd shot their front tire.

  Lt. Tomanek came to Broome Community College because his parents lived nearby and it was comforting to see other high school classmates on the BCC campus. He graduated from Catholic Central intending to be a Binghamton Police officer but had problems passing the New York State vision requirement. His criminal justice courses at BCC were enjoyable and helpful, and he has fond memories of a class taught by the assistant chief of the Johnson City Police Department. With such a high rating from his father, Lt. Tomanek' sson is considering coming back to the Binghamton area to attend BCC.

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