The Lakewood Police Department is celebrating the retirement of Public Safety Telecommunicator Mary Diaz, Badge #657, marking the end of a nearly three-decade career serving the township.
Diaz joined the department’s communications division in September 1998 and quickly became a steady, reliable presence behind the radio. Over the course of 27 years, she fielded thousands of emergency calls, coordinated responses, and served as a lifeline between residents and first responders.
In an announcement, the department praised Diaz for her “dedication, commitment and service,” noting the lasting impact she has had on both the agency and the wider Lakewood community.
“Thank you for all you’ve done, Mary,” the statement read. “Wishing you all the best in this new chapter of your life.”
Diaz’s retirement marks the end of a long chapter of service for one of the department’s most experienced communicators, whose voice has been a constant presence in countless moments of urgency, crisis, and routine public safety operations.