COUNTY OF ESSEX
Office of Public Information
Hall of Records, Room 408
465 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
Newark, New Jersey 07102
973.621.2542 ~ 973.621.6136 (fax)
www.essexcountynj.org
Anthony Puglisi, Director
Office of Public Information
Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr.
Lauren Shears
Public Information Officer
Essex County Executive
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 21, 2014
Contact:
Anthony Puglisi
973-621-2542
Lauren Shears
973-621-1590
ESSEX COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIVINCENZO AND PBA LOCAL 183 DEDICATE
BRONZE STATUE IN HONOR OF THE LATE JORGE OLIVEIRA
Sheriff’s Officer was the First Essex County Employee to Lose Their Life
in the Middle East Conflicts while Serving their Country
Newark, NJ – Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. and PBA Local 183,
which represents uniformed officers in the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, dedicated a
bronze statue in memory of the late Jorge Oliveira on Wednesday, May 21st. Unveiled
during Essex County’s Veterans Day ceremony, the statue honors Oliveira, a 10-year
veteran of the Essex County Sheriff’s Office who was killed October 19, 2011 while serving
his country in Afghanistan. He is the first Essex County employee to lose their life while
participating in the current Middle East conflicts.
“The statue is breathtaking,” said Marco Oliveira, Jorge’s brother. “It is truly an honor for my
family to realize how much a part my brother played in some many lives. His humbleness is
what made him so loved and so memorable. The statue fills a large portion of our hearts
with happiness,” he added.
“Jorge Oliveira loved his family, loved his community and loved his country. He was a
dedicated public servant who put his life on the line both here as a Sheriff’s Officer and
abroad as a member of the U.S. Army. His death in 2011 struck us hard because he was a
member of our Essex County family and was loved by so many,” DiVincenzo said. “I am
pleased to partner with PBA Local 183 to create this statue of Jorge. It will create a lasting
tribute to Jorge and serve as a constant reminder to us all of how precious life is and how
we are all affected by war and violence,” he added.
“Sgt. Oliveira was an exemplary law enforcement officer who always demonstrated the
highest degree of professionalism. He was an outstanding role model and treated everyone
with dignity and respect,” Sheriff Armando Fontoura said. “His loss created a tremendous
void in our department. Being able to see Jorge’s statue every day in this plaza will be
comforting to us all. It’s a fitting tribute to an individual who put the safety of his family,
community and country before his own,” he noted.
“Jorge’s friends and fellow officers were proud when this plaza was dedicated in his honor
in 2011. But we wanted to do more to honor his memory and make sure he was always
remembered and his sacrifice was not taken for granted,” PBA Local 183 President Chris
Tyminski said. “On behalf of the PBA, I would like to thank all those whose donations
ESSEX COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
supported the creation of the statue and County Executive DiVincenzo for working with us
so we could make this lasting gesture to our friend,” he added.
The bronze statue is about eight feet tall and depicts Oliveira in his military gear. It was
created by Jay Warren from Oregon, who also made the bronze statues of Congressman
Donald Payne, Supreme Court Justice William Brennan and Governor Brendan Byrne.
Oliveira’s name was emblazoned on the front of the armed forces memorial in Essex
County Memorial Park when the plaza was named in his honor during the County’s
Veterans Day ceremony in November 2011. The park was opened in September 2009 and
is dedicated to the men and women who served their country in seven branches of the U.S.
Military. At the center of the 2.7-acre park is a water fountain and monument that displays
the flags and seals of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Army National
Guard and Air Force National Guard.
Several elected officials and Armed Forces personnel shared the importance of honoring
Oliveira.
“Today we are celebrating a life distinguished with courage and bravery. By honoring Jorge
Oliveira, we are showing how much we appreciate the men and women who sacrifice their
lives. It’s a reminder of how precious life is,” NJ State Senator and Essex County Deputy
Chief of Staff Teresa Ruiz said. “Jorge gave of himself to his family, his community and his
country.
“Jorge loved being in law enforcement because he could be a role model, and he loved
being a soldier because he could give back to the country that he loved so much,” Adjutant
General Michael Cunniff said. “Jorge is a real American hero. I would say he accomplished
his goals,” he added.
“Essex County will remember the men and women who come home after serving their
country because of Joe DiVincenzo’s efforts to name our courthouse and this park in honor
of all veterans,” Assemblywoman and Deputy County Administrator Sheila Oliver said. “This
is a fine monument to Jorge. You can tell by the number of people who are here that we
pay homage and honor him,” she added.
“Today is a day filled with emotion. Our hearts are still heavy with the reality of our loss, but
we are reminded of Jorge’s bravery, honor and commitment to protecting our freedom,”
Freeholder President Blonnie Watson said. “We are proud to honor a son of our own Essex
County family who worked in Essex and put himself in harm’s way for his country,” she
added.
“Jorge was a role model who will never leave our hearts and minds. He knew no limits and
always brought out the best in all of us,” said Staff Sgt. Randal Bisset of the NJ National
Guard, who served with Oliveira. “Instead of mourning his death, we are celebrating his
life,” he added.
During the program, about 150 members of the Essex County Sheriff’s Office and 50
members of the NJ National Guard 2nd Battalion 113th Infantry lined the Armed Forces
Memorial. Dan Gregory, a 10-year-old bagpiper with the Essex Shillelaghs, performed the
Armed Forces Melody and Amazing Grace. Mark Beckett, a visual and performing arts
teacher at Essex County West Caldwell Tech, performed the National Anthem.
Detective Sgt. Jorge Oliveira, a 10-year member of the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, had
the rank of Staff Sergeant with NJ Army National Guard, 2nd Battalion, 113th Infantry
Division. He was assigned to a security force for provincial reconstruction in Paktika
ESSEX COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Province, Afghanistan, where he was killed by an improvised explosive device on October
19, 2011. It was his fourth tour of duty, having previously been deployed to Operation
Enduring Freedom in 2004-2005, Louisiana to respond to damage caused by Hurricane
Katrina in 2005 and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2008-2009.
His military career began after he graduated from East Side High School in Newark and
enlisted in the Army. He served from 1997 to 2000 with the 101st Airborne Division (The
Screaming Eagles) and was a highly decorated serviceman, receiving the Army Service
Ribbon, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Army Achievement
Medal, Army Reserve Components Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Iraq
Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, NCO Professional Development Medal, Overseas
Service Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M Device, Expert Infantryman Badge
and Air Assault Badge.
After completing his tenure with the Army, Oliveira pursued a career in public safety, but
declined several job offers because he loved the City of Newark and Essex County and
wanted to serve the community where he was raised. He was hired by the Essex County
Sheriff’s Office in 2001, was assigned to the Courts Division until he was promoted to the
Detective Bureau in 2007, and was a member of the Tactical Response Team. He was
presented with the Essex County Executive’s monthly Teamwork Award in February 2008
and the Essex County Sheriff’s Employee of the Month Award in July 2008. He was a
dedicated public servant who was recognized on several occasions for his perfect
attendance, was a respected Officer who donated his unused sick time to his fellow officers,
and was always ready to lend a helping hand or volunteer for any assignment.
Oliveira was born in Anadia, Portugal, in 1978 and his family immigrated to the United
States in 1985. He graduated from East Side High School in Newark in 1996 and studied
Criminal Justice at Hopkinsville Community College and Essex County College. He is
survived by his parents, Manuel and Armanda Oliveira; his brother, Marco Oliveira, and his
sister, Jessica Oliveira.
Several buildings and open spaces in the Essex County Government Complex have been
named after prominent people who have influenced the development of Essex County. The
park next to the Historic Courthouse and statue in front of the Hall of Records honor
Barringer High School graduate and U.S. Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan, Jr.; a
plaza named for Civil Rights leader Rosa Parks is located in front of the Essex County
Veterans Courthouse; the plaza behind the Veterans Courthouse is named for the late
Congressman Donald M. Payne, who was the first African American Congressman in New
Jersey; and the promenade on the south side of the Hall of Records is named for former
New Jersey Governor and Essex County Prosecutor Brendan Byrne. The Veterans
Courthouse and the Essex County Veterans Memorial Park are named as a tribute to the
men and women who have defended our country and freedoms while serving in the U.S.
Armed Forces. The Essex County LeRoy F. Smith, Jr., Public Safety Building is named for
LeRoy Smith, a Newark resident who served as Deputy Director of Emergency Medical
Services for the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey for 38 years before
retiring in 2007. In Brennan Park is a monument recognizing the late Charles Cummings,
who served as the official Newark historian and librarian with the Newark Public Library for
over 40 years. The plaza in front of the Historic Courthouse is named for former Essex
County Prosecutor James Lordi. There are also bronze plaques in the promenade
recognizing the late Philip Thigpen, Essex County Register and long-time Essex County
Democratic Committee Chairman; the late Lena Donaldson Griffith, a cultural arts and civil
rights pioneer in Newark and Essex County; the late Raymond Brown, a civil rights leader
and long-time attorney; and the late Superior Court Justice Thomas “Timmy” McCormack,
ESSEX COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
who was one of the authors of the County’s current Administrative Code and Freeholder
By-Laws.
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ESSEX COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER