August 10,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Pompton Lakes NJ, A Pompton Lakes police officer was killed early Wednesday morning in a collision with a deer and was thrown from his Harley Davidson Motorcycle while driving home from work on a township road.
From the Pompton Lakes Police department , “It is with great sorrow that the Pompton Lakes Police Department announces the untimely passing of Sgt. Peter Kamper. Sgt. Kamper has been employed by the department since 2004. He followed in the footsteps of his father, Peter who was also a Sergeant in Wayne PD. He served as the TAC officer, the head firearms instructor, instructor for the Junior Police Academy, and the departmental IT specialist. He also volunteered his time as a valued member of the Pompton Lakes-Riverdale First Aid Squad. He was a devoted supervisor, husband, son, brother, and uncle. The people of Pompton Lakes will remember him as a dedicated officer, but those who knew him best will remember him as so much more.
He stood 6’6” and might have intimidated someone who was not familiar with him. But after speaking with him for a few minutes, you could see that he was a gentle giant whose heart was as big as his frame. He was the person who you could call in the middle of the night when the computers or radios stopped working. He would be at the police department within minutes and did it because he wanted to make your life easier. He was never concerned with praise or money, but did it out of the kindness of his heart. He was motivated by helping people and doing what he could to ease the burdens of others. Whether he was volunteering at the Special Olympics, the Junior Police Academy, or the holiday toy drive, he was someone that people enjoyed being around. People always tended to gravitate towards him and his personality. His jokes and witty commentary always had you coming back for more.
We are truly devastated and heartbroken. Words cannot begin to describe the grief and pain that we are currently experiencing. Despite the overwhelming sadness that we are feeling, we can’t help but feel a sense of gratitude. Each of us were blessed and privileged to work alongside an exceptional human being. We are better people for having known him and will surely never forget what he has done for each of us. His memory and his spirit will live on inside of us. He will be a part of this department from now until the end of time. Rest easy, Pete. We love you and will never forget you.
Peter is survived by his wife, Christine Kamper, his parents, Wendy, and Peter Kamper and his brother Mike Kamper. We ask that you keep his family in your thoughts and prayers. Funeral arrangements will be posted once they become available.”
Sgt. Peter J. Kamper #164, EOW 8/9/2017
