Summit Mourns Fallen Officer, Dispatcher

SUMMIT, NJ - The Summit community is in mourning over the death of former Summit Police Officer and Dispatcher, Halon (Hal) Freeden.

The Summit Police Department released this statement:

"Hal was a 1952 Summit High School graduate. Upon completion of school, he joined the United States Army where he served six years to this great country. Hal was deployed with the US Infantry during the Korean War, and upon completion from serving time overseas, he served with the Military Police in Monmouth County in the capacity of Traffic Accident Investigator. Hal was Honorably Discharged from the United States Army with the rank of S/Sergeant in 1958.

Hal served 14 years with the Summit Police Department as a Patrol Officer. He was hired in 1961 and graduated with the 62nd Municipal Police Class at the New Jersey State Police Academy in Sea Girt. Hal was certified to provide drug screenings, handle accident investigations, instruct emergency medical procedures for the department, handle drug enforcement, was able to run blood alcohol determinations as well as holding a certification to be an instructor at the police academy by the New Jersey State Police Training Commission. Hal became a certified Emergency Medical Technician through Overlook Hospital in 1971. He later resigned from the Summit Police Department in 1975 to accept a position with Overlook Hospital in the capacity of Coordinator for the Mobile Intensive Care Unit. He later became a certified/licensed State of New Jersey Paramedic.

Hal went on to work as a Coordinator for Dover General Hospital as well as the Deputy Coordinator for the Office of Emergency Management. In his later years, he returned to the Summit Police Department and was initially hired as a part time Police Dispatcher in 1991. He transitioned to a full-time position with the department in 1992 and went on to retire from SPD in 2002.

Hal is survived by his loving children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and many friends and extended family. You were a wonderful person and will be missed."

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