Abington police honor retirement of longtime officer Mary Carminati, welcome newest officer Diaz

Mary Carminati, a 37-year veteran of the Abington Township Police Department, is retiring.

Chief Patrick Molloy shared Carminati’s long list of accomplishments in the memo below:

On behalf of all the men and women of the Abington Township Police Department, I want to express my sincerest gratitude to Mary Carminati for her 37 years of dedicated service to the department and the community.

Mary joined the Abington Township Police Department in 1986 as a Crossing Guard and Parking Enforcement Officer. From the beginning, Mary was a team player. Mary was always willing to take on more responsibilities. Often those responsibilities involved administrative and supervisory decision-making like processing payroll, conducting presentations at schools and coordinating special events such as the 24-hour Relay Challenge. In the Spring of 1999, Mary graciously assumed the position of animal control officer during the absence of Robert Lamphere, who was on extended sick leave.

Her dedication and exemplary work ethic did not go unnoticed. In September 1999, Chief Kelly appointed Mary as a Community Service Officer Supervisor. As the Community Service Officer Supervisor Mary was responsible for overseeing the Crossing Guards, Community Service Officers and helping with the coordination and scheduling of Community Policing programs like the Homework Help Program. Mary was also integral in the implementation of the Department’s Police Athletic League, Youth Aid Panel, Kids in Safety Seats (K.I.S.S.), dog walk and watch program and Citizen and Police Together’s needy family fund.

Throughout her career, Mary has received multiple awards for perfect attendance and numerous accolades from organizations in the Abington community for her helpfulness like the Willow Grove N.A.A.C.P, Citizens and Police Together, Abington Police Athletic League, Abington Youth Aid Panels and more. None of these programs would have been possible without Mary’s positive attitude and willingness to help wherever she could. Whether it was finding sponsors for an event, baking one of her amazing apple or pound cakes, supplying ashes on Ash Wednesday, picking up uniforms or door prizes, no task was too big or too small for the woman with a heart the size of Abington. We will never forget her willingness to go above a beyond for the Department and the community.

May God bless Mary with health and happiness during this next chapter of her life. We all know that family means everything to Mary, so we all wish her well as she will finally have a full-time job spending time with Rick, her children and grandchildren.


In related news, Andres Diaz is being welcomed as the department’s newest officer. He was sworn in last week by the Honorable Judge Kessler, the department said.

A Monticello, NY native, Diaz graduated from Monticello High School and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in criminology and criminal justice from CUNY John Jay University.

He served eight years with the New York City Police Department and has been a member of the Army National Guard since 2009.

“We congratulate Officer Diaz on this new chapter and wish him all the best for a safe and successful career with us,” the department said in a post.


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Photos: ATPD