Crime & Safety

Fort Lee PBA President, ESU Member, Decorated Veteran Honored by Chief

Police Officer Kevin Kosuda, who has been with the Fort Lee Police Department 19 years, is the "Chief's Award" recipient for November, police announced.

The following article was submitted to Patch for publication by the Fort Lee Police Department:

As a 19-year veteran of the Fort Lee Police Department, Police Officer Kevin Kosuda is the “Chief’s Award” recipient for the month of November.

Since taking over the duties of the Fort Lee Police Chief in 2004, Chief Thomas Ripoli has instituted the department’s awards ceremony, which honors Fort Lee’s finest for their actions in the line of duty. The Chief’s Award is handed out every month.

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Kosuda was raised in Fort Lee, where he attended Fort Lee High School. After graduating in 1986, Kosuda enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. After completing boot camp on Parris Island, Kosuda attended Marine Corps Engineer School at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. There he learned the skills of explosive demolition, specialized demolitions for urban breaching and landmine warfare.

Kosuda received numerous awards during his military service, including Navy Achievement Medal, Marine Corp Expeditionary Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal, and National Defense Service Medal. Kosuda was also presented awards from the United States Marines Corps and the United States Army 18th Engineer Brigade during Operation Provide Comfort 1991 in Northern Iraq. Tunisian Army engineers and French Army engineers recognized Kosuda for teaching explosive techniques in his second language of French. Kosuda left the Marine Corps in 1992 as a Sergeant.

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For more than eight years Kosuda was a member of Fort Lee Fire Department’s Rescue Company #2, responding to many car accidents requiring extrications in addition to responding to fires and other emergencies.  

In January 1994, Kosuda joined the Fort Lee Police Department. He has served in the Patrol division, General Investigation Detective Bureau, and Evidence Bureau. Kosuda has also been a member of the Fort Lee Police Departments Emergency Services Unit (ESU) for the last 13 years, holding positions as team leader and breacher. 

Kosuda is also a certified DCJ Firearms Instructor, Sub-gun instructor, FBI Chemical munitions/less lethal instructor and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) for the last 19 years. Kosuda was trained in the FBI Basic SWAT course, Tactical explosive entry, as well as many other specialties.

Kosuda has received various awards including a Meritorious Valor award and two Unit Citations for Valor. Kosuda is currently the Fort Lee Policemen’s Benevolent Association President. He has held the position for the last six years and has served on the executive board for the last 15 years. 

He is married to Kerry and has two children, Kyle and Jillian. Kosuda wishes to thank Chief Ripoli for this award and looks forward to serving the residents of Fort Lee in the future.


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