By Russ Tarby
Contributing Writer
Ever since he joined the Liverpool Police Department in 2009, Jerry Unger has cracked complex cases, written traffic tickets aplenty and even saved a few lives.
In 2014, he won the Liverpool Elks Lodge Officer of the Year Award, the Onondaga County Traffic Safety Advisory Board’s Overall Performance Award and CNY Chiefs of Police Law Enforcement Commendation Award. Last year, Unger was named the Liverpool Police Benevolent Association Officer of the Year, the 2015 Liverpool Elks Club Police Officer of the Year.
This year, he was promoted to sergeant after the retirement of Sgt. Mike Manns. Unger was sworn in as sergeant at the April 14 Village Board meeting, in the presence of his longtime girlfriend, Carrie Bond, and their 3-year-old son, Evan. In June 2009, Evan’s older sister, Brooke, held the Bible when her father was sworn in as a police officer.
Police Chief Don Morris is confident that Unger will excel in his new role. “Jerry is a very dedicated officer,” Morris said. “He takes pride in his work. He’s always available to assist other members of the department and is respected by our members and the community he serves.”
Morris assured the trustees that Unger is well-qualified as a certified breath-analysis operator, a breath-analysis instructor, a NYS general topics instructor and a NYS field training officer.
Earlier this year, Manns put in for retirement after two dozen years as a policeman. The former sergeant now works as a bus driver for the Liverpool Central School District.
“After 24 years, it was time,” Manns said. He served more than half of those years as a member of the Syracuse Police Department before returning to Liverpool, where his father, Donald Manns, had worked as a sergeant.
Mike Manns, who was instrumental in hiring Unger here seven years ago, is understandably proud of his protégé.
“The difference between a good cop and a great cop is taking those extra steps,” Manns said, “and Jerry takes those extra steps.”
Because he had been mulling retirement for the past several years, Manns has been preparing Unger for possible promotion. “We’ve been talking a lot over the past couple years, and I’ve shared my knowledge and experience with him. He’ll be fine. Jerry listens well and learns fast.”
Unger is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, where he served from 1992 until 1996.
