Michael Devine
Michael Devine
Age: 43
Place of birth: New Jersey.
Where you live: Mahwah, New Jersey.
Job Description: Lieutenant with the Bergen County Police Department. I am currently the Officer in Charge of the Bergen County Police Academy and the SWAT Team Commander.
Why I chose this career: I choose this career because I wanted to make a difference. I know it is impossible for one person to change the world but it is possible to change the world one person at a time. I believe that and I try to work on it on a daily basis.
The proudest moment of my career: I have had a rewarding career. My time on the road I was lucky enough to pull a man from a burning fuel truck that he was unconscious and trapped inside. In the academy, I am proud to assist in putting a positive image on my profession. On the SWAT Team I have been on over 100 successful missions. My latest adventure was being thrust into assisting the operation of a shelter from Hurricane Sandy. The police academy was turned into a shelter for more than 130 people and their animals. We made the best of a bad situation and made these displaced families feel comfortable and welcome.
I celebrate my Irish heritage by: I am very proud of my Irish Heritage. I have traveled to Ireland several times though the years. This year I brought my wife and three daughters back to see where my parents grew up and where their cousins live.
Biography
Mike is the seventh of eight in his family. He has four sisters and three brothers. His parents, Tom – of Donegal and Loretta of Leitrim met here in the United States. Mike received an undergraduate degree from Montclair State University and a graduate degree from Seton Hall University. Mike enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and spent six years in the Reserve where he attained the rank of Sergeant. He is a combat veteran from Operation Desert Storm. Mike started his law enforcement career with the town of Ramsey in 1995. He transferred to the Bergen County Police Department in 1998. He has 13 years of SWAT Team experience and is currently the SWAT Team Commander. His primary assignment is the officer- in-charge of law enforcement training at the Bergen County Police Academy.