Warwick Police Officer Brett Lukach stands down after 30 years of service

WARWICK — On Thursday, Feb. 14, a group of well wishers and dignitaries including New Assemblyman Karl Brabenec, Town of Warwick Supervisor Michael Sweeton, Mayor Michael Newhard and Warwick Police Chief Tom McGovern arrived at Warwick's Tuscan Café.
Most members of the Warwick Policed Department, including Lt. Thomas Maslanka and Lt. John Rader as well as PBA president Jack Harter, were also there to honor Warwick Police Department Range Officer Brett Lukach at his retirement party after 30 years of service.
Lukach started working for the Village of Warwick Police Department on Aug. 25, 1988 and worked there until its merger with the Town of Warwick Police Department in January 1992.
In 1998, after training by the FBI at Camp Smith, he became a range officer.
"I had to qualify as an expert to get into the school and then maintain high scores throughout," Lukach recalled. "It was a two-week program with very intensive training. I also had to attend Glock armorer school and later patrol carbine instructor, night shooting and flashlight instructor training at the Rockland Police Academy as well as AR 15 armorer school in Somerset, New Jersey."
'Giving people help'Lukach also attended a program of intensive training at the Police Motorcycle School in New Windsor in 2002 and had to requalify annually in the Warwick Police Department Motorcycle Training Program.
And in 2005 he completed FBI Crisis Negotiation School and most recently Orange County Crisis Intervention Training
"Although officers must remain proficient with their combat skills," said Lukach, "being able to de-escalate tense situations to minimize the use of force is our ultimate goal. I am proud to have been able to assist people in crisis and get them the help that they need rather than having them become involved with the criminal justice system"
'I leave the community in good hands'Lukach, who is proud of his own two children, Sean, 22 and Sarah, 18, can also add to his list of achievements helping to deliver a baby in 2003 and watching him grow up.
"It is the minor miracles like this," he said, "that helps to offset and give balance to some of the unfortunate things that I also have had to deal with and those are the memories that I will hold onto. I am grateful to have served the community for the past 30 years and I am very proud of our next generation of officers. I know that I leave the community in very good hands for the future."
- Roger Gavan