Ocean Ridge police officers, family and officials celebrate after several of the officers were honored for their professional achievements. FRONT (l-r): Town Manager Michelle Heiser, Sgt. Jimmy Pilon, Officer Matthew Powers, Officer Mario Galluscio with his wife, Christine, Officer William Ranta with his wife, Lauren, mother, Suzanne, and children, Mia and Billy Jr., Chief Scott McClure, Officer Debra Boyle with therapy K-9 Dash, and Officer Aaron Choban. BACK ROW (l-r): Commissioner Carolyn Cassidy, Mayor Geoff Pugh, Vice Mayor Steve Coz and Commissioner Ainar Aijala Jr. Jerry Lower/The Coastal Star
Ocean Ridge Police Sgt. Jimmy Pilon on July 8 was honored by town commissioners for the second time in a year for police work that helped solve crimes in other communities.
In May, he stopped a car in the 6800 block of North Ocean Boulevard that had a defective headlamp.
After smelling marijuana, he searched the car and found a loaded Glock 29 semiautomatic pistol and ammunition. Tests showed the gun was linked to shootings in Lake Worth Beach, West Palm Beach, Miami Gardens and Boynton Beach, where a young woman was shot in the head.
In March 2025, a similar traffic stop led to the arrest of a juvenile who was involved in shootings in Boynton and Delray Beach.
“We’re going to start billing other jurisdictions for all the crimes you’re solving in all these other towns,” joked Police Chief Scott McClure.
In addition to Pilon, Officer Matthew Powers was honored for receiving the Distinguished Service Award for Enforcement from the Safety Council of Palm Beach County in June.
In a year, Powers conducted 1,128 traffic stops, issued 829 traffic citations, 655 written warnings, and made 17 arrests for traffic-related offenses.
Two other officers — William Ranta and Mario Galluscio — were honored for saving an elderly man’s life in April by administering a department-issued automated external defibrillator.
— Jane Musgrave
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