By Robert Florida
Two ECPO prosecutors and the Narcotics Task Force have been honored for excellence by three organizations that advocate for effective law enforcement.
Child Advocacy Partner of the Year
Nicole Buermann, an Assistant Prosecutor in the Special Victim’s Unit, was recognized by VidaNyx for outstanding work prosecuting child sexual abusers. VidaNyx, which designs software for child advocacy groups, named Buermann The Child Advocacy Partner of the Year.
“Buermann’s tenacity, fearlessness, and ferocity are consistently on display as she stands undaunted in the face of these challenges,” said VidaNyx. “Her relentless drive to seek justice for victims sets her apart in her field and makes her the best champion you can have in your corner.”
Buermann has worked in the Special Victim’s Unit in the prosecutor’s office since 2019. She prosecutes crimes involving sexual assault and child endangerment and serves as the human trafficking liaison for Essex County. It’s her mission to advocate for the most vulnerable members of society, so this award is especially meaningful to her.
“I am honored to receive this award and share it with the men and women of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victim’s Unit, who work tirelessly to achieve justice for the most vulnerable victims,” said Buermann.
Executive Assistant Prosecutor Named Lawyer of the Year
Gwendolyn J. Williams, Executive Assistant Prosecutor for the ECPO, received a Professional Lawyer of the Year Award from the New Jersey Commission on Professionalism in the Law.
In conjunction with county bar associations, the commission awards lawyers who are respected by colleagues for their “character, competence, and exemplary professionalism.” The Essex County Bar Association nominated her for this award and bestowed it upon her on July 12, 2023.
“My entire career I have striven to do my best and to mentor young attorneys,” said Williams. “I am honored to receive this award from the Essex County Bar Association.”
Williams has had a long and esteemed career at the ECPO. She has been an Assistant Prosecutor since 1993. In 2017, she was promoted to Executive Assistant Prosecutor. She is responsible for hiring, coordinating, and collective bargaining for the support staff of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. She served as a Deputy Chief Assistant Prosecutor from 2013 to 2017. In that position, she supervised the Victim Witness office, the Juvenile Trial Unit, the Community Justice Unit, the Drug Court Unit, and the Mental Health Unit. She has also served as Director of the Juvenile Trial, the Community Justice Unit, and Drug Court units. Both Drug Court and the Mental Health Unit are alternatives to incarceration, the goal being to help defendants become positive members of the community by addressing their addictions or mental health conditions and helping them turn their lives around.
Williams has served as a part-time Lecturer at the School of Criminal Justice, Rutgers Newark Campus since 2015. She became a member of the National Black Prosecutors Association (NBPA) in 1994, having served as Regional Director of Region 6 from 1997-2002. She was NBPA National Vice President of Programs from 2002–2005. She is a graduate of the University of the District of Columbia Law School, formerly known as Antioch School of Law. She received her B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University, Newark.
Narcotics Task Force Honored
The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Task Force was honored recently as the Narcotics Unit of the Year by the New Jersey Narcotics Enforcement Officers Association (NJNEOA), which advocates for law enforcement groups involved in countering the illegal narcotics trade.
The Narcotics Task Force was recognized by NJNEOA for its commitment to and effectiveness in combating the narcotics trade. In 2022, for example, the Task Force seized 76 weapons, and about 11.5 kilograms of cocaine, 9.3 kilograms of heroin, 30 kilograms of marijuana as well as $312,000 of U.S. currency.
The award ceremony at Atlantic City honoring the Task Force was attended by more than 600 narcotics detectives and prosecutors from across the state. ECPO Lieutenant John DeGroot accepted the award on behalf of the Task Force, a specialized law enforcement unit responsible for investigating and combating mid- to upper-level narcotics investigations, which includes organized groups or street gangs involved in the distribution and trafficking of illegal narcotics. It is comprised of detectives from the prosecutor’s office and officers from Essex County police departments.
“I commend the Task Force for winning the Narcotic Unit of the Year Award, which is testament to their dedication,” said ECPO Acting Chief of Detectives Mitchell McGuire. “The illicit drug trade poses a direct threat to the health and safety of our communities, and the Task Force works hard, every day and night, to combat that threat.”
