Right man at the right time

When a woman called her friend Michael Ripp at home on Nov. 28 and said three men in a van had just tried to abduct her 11-year- old son, he rushed outside and saw three men in a van parked in a nearby driveway.
“They looked like they were waiting for someone,” he said during a brief ceremony on Jan. 13 when he was honored for his quick action.
Ripp knew the woman who had called, and more importantly, she knew him, and that he was the right man at the right time to handle a situation like this.

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“They looked like they were waiting for someone.” — Michael Ripp
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A member of the Hudson County Corrections Department, Ripp serves on what is sometimes called the Correctional Facility SWAT team, a group that has recently been asked to join the county’s Homeland Security Rapid Deployment Force. He has been a member of the New Jersey National Guard for 17 years. During his first five years, he served with the infantry in the New Jersey Army National Guard, and presently holds the rank of sergeant major in the New Jersey Air National Guard, the highest rank an enlisted person can achieve. He has served overseas in war zones, and as a military police officer.
When he saw the van, he started to call the police on his cellular phone. But when the van began moving, he knew he had to act or risk losing the suspects. So he approached the van, flashed his badge, and hoped he didn’t have to use his firearm.
“As every police officer knows, pulling over a suspect is the most dangerous aspect of the job,” he said. “Fortunately, they cooperated.”
As a result, Juan Cardona-Delgado, 28, and Jose Ciro, 19, of Bayonne, as well as Joaquini Gonzalez, 44, of Elizabeth were taken into custody, and face charges related to an alleged attempt to lure a child into the van, as well as the charge of criminal attempted abduction and child endangerment.
The boy had told his mother that after leaving a friend’s house, a van had followed him along Avenue A near 11th Street. He said two of the occupants had encouraged the boy to get into the van, which at one point pulled in front of the boy as one of the people inside yanked open the door.
The boy did not listen to them. Instead, he pulled out a cellular phone and called his mother. His mother called Ripp, who said he is waiting to testify in the case.
“I see this man every day at work,” said Councilman Ted Connolly in awarding the citation from the town. “I know what kind of man he is. This is the right man at the right time.”
Ripp, who has been a corrections officer for about 11 years, said he liked his job, although when he started, he had seen it as a transitional job with the ambition of seeking a job as a police officer.
His military duty, Connolly pointed out, complements his duty as a correctional officer, and shows a significant history of bravery and valor. Ripp has received numerous federal and state awards and commendations, including a campaign medal for service in Iraq, several commendations for his work in the war on terrorism, and a New Jersey Governor’s Unit Award Ribbon. He has also been commended for his emergency services.
The 38 year old veteran was born and raised in Bayonne and still lives here with his family.
“He’s a graduate from Bayonne High School,” Connolly said.