John E. O'Rourke
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HONOR, DUTY & FIDELITY
The New Jersey State Police is an organization rich in history and tradition. Formed in 1921, the "outfit" has grown from a rural police force into one of the most diversified state agencies in the country. Sadly, this success did not come without a price; over thirty-five troopers gave their lives serving the citizens of the Garden State during the organization's formative years, from 1921 to 1960.
This book honors their memory, telling the stories of these brave men, and upholds the state police's credo: It is the obligation-the Duty-of the living to remember-Honor-the dead. Let us always remember-Fidelity.
The New Jersey State Troopers are dedicated to upholding their credo of "Honor, Duty and Fidelity." Their commitment to this service has helped countless civilians in dangerous situations and saved any innocent lives. Yet in upholding their duty to serve and protect, extraordinary troopers have given their lives. Retired Sergeant First Class John E. O'Rourke has collected their stories of bravery and herein follows up his first book, Jersey Troopers, with the accounts of troopers killed in the line of duty from 1961 to 2011. These are not only the stories of how they died but also how they lived, with recollections an photos from the families and friends they left behind.
Beachergoers usually dread riptides and rainy days, but from 1974 to 1983, a different fear gripped the New Jersey Shore: young women were disappearing. Their abductor was Richard Biegenwald, a man released for good behavior after serving seventeen years in prison for murder and spending time in a psychiatric facility. Police arrested him on suspicion of rape, and it was not until they connected him to a woman’s death in Asbury Park that he finally stopped his rampage. Investigators later linked him to nine murders and convicted him of five. Former New Jersey state trooper John O’Rourke narratives the chilling story of the Jersey Shore Thrill Killer.
Upcoming Books:
Cold Case: A Murder Mystery
(Novella)
Out Now!
"Live till I die" (Fiction)
Novel
Ex-trooper August Nolan is working as a P.I. in Hoboken, NJ. trying to solve a missing persons case involving a corrupt mayor
Release Date: TBD
Video Reader Road Trip Series:
The author takes his readers to key locations presented in his books.
On a spring morning in Morristown in 1992, authorities discovered a car idling in a driveway with the door open and the driver missing. After they learned the driver was Sidney Reso, the president of Exxon International, the FBI joined the investigation. Over the next two months, law enforcement received cryptic communications that led to a cat-and-mouse chase for those responsible. Retired cop Arthur Seale and his wife, Irene, demanded one of the largest ransoms in U.S. history, and authorities struggled to solve the case. Author John E. O'Rourke recounts the crime that rocked a sleepy community and brought the nation's eyes to North Jersey.
