David Karas/The TimesA TCNJ Campus Police vehicle is parked at the station on Sunday

Nine police officers at The College of New Jersey were honored for saving lives, catching crooks and investigating crimes during a ceremony in West Long Branch on Wednesday, the campus police department said.

The awardees recognized by the New Jersey College and University Public Safety Association included Sgt. Ray Scully and officer John Turner, who revived a female student who collapsed in a bathroom in October after injecting heroin, the college said in a news release.

Sgt. Michael Bell received an award for his dedication over his career. In 2009 he saved the life of a 6-year-old who had a severe allergic reaction and stopped breathing, and he revamped the department’s crime reporting, the release said.

Detective Christopher Russomanno, officers Bobby Villa and Julia Verwers, and Ewing officer Jeffrey Caldwell were recognized for catching a man who fled to a college parking deck after severely beating his girlfriend last June, police said. Villa was injured while arresting the man.

Russomanno and Verwers and Detective Matthew Norton of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office were also honored for their investigation of a reported sexual assault in late August that was found not to have occurred.

The association honored Sgt. C. Matthew Mastrosimone and officer Michael Sedwick for arresting a man allegedly attempting to shoplift $400 in textbooks from the campus bookstore. The man had prior arrests on four other state college campuses for similar offenses.

Russomanno and Bordentown Township Detective Salvatore Guido were recognized for their efforts in identifying a former TCNJ employee who used a campus-owned computer to commit identity theft.As part of the ceremony, TCNJ Police Chief John Collins was installed as president of the association for a one-year term.

Contact David Karas at (609) 989-5731 or dkaras@njtimes.com.

Follow the Times of Trenton on Twitter.

http://www.nj.com/