Michael Barry

Mike Barry is a native of New Jersey who grew up in Hudson County. Educated at a Catholic elementary school, he graduated from Memorial High School in West New York in 1974. With family in both the NYPD and Pennsylvania State Police, Mike wished to follow the family tradition by entering law enforcement. In June of 1979 Mike joined the West New York, NJ Police Department where he served for 6 ½ years in uniformed patrol, plain clothes, and as a Detective in the Juvenile Aid Bureau. During that time Mike received commendations and awards including the Citation Star for Bravery and Valor under fire. During this time, he attended Bergen Community College, majoring in Police Science.

In 1986 Mike had an opportunity to join a large, New York metro area police department. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police offered opportunities that the WNY PD did not, so Mike began a 34-year career there where he rose to the rank of Sergeant. Mike finished Bergen Community College and began to attend John Jay College of Criminal Justice. As a patrol officer at the Port Authority Bus Terminal, Mike and his fellow offers were credited with the arrest of Michael Leigh Wilson, a Pasco County, Florida native who committed murder in Newport Richey, Florida then fled to NYC while armed. Based on a tip that Wilson was headed for the Port Authority Bus terminal, Mike and his fellow officers staked out an area and arrested Michael Wilson as he got off the Greyhound Bus. Willson was still carrying the loaded revolver he stole from the victim he murdered. Michael Leigh Wilson is incarcerated for life in a Florida state prison.

In 1998 Mike chose an assignment as a highway patrol officer at George Washington where he won many awards and citations for meritorious service, valor, and Excellent Police Duty for helping to rescue suicidal people. It was during this time that Mike joined the NPDF and became the NPDF’s Delegate to the Port Authority Police. Mike was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 2008 then transferred to Kennedy International Airport.

After a fulfilling year as a patrol supervisor at Kennedy Airport, Mike accepted a transfer to PATH where he had an opportunity to work as a supervisor overseeing patrol, plain clothes and the Counter Terrorism Initiative that involved the deployment of heavy weapons to combat the threat of terrorism in transportation facilities. After five years at PATH Mike was transferred to the GWB in 2014 where, as a patrol Sergeant, a rash of suicides caught his attention and that of his officers. Together they developed a highly effective response which resulted in the saving of literally hundreds of people who tried to commit suicide.

In February 2019 Mike received the Officer of the Year Award from the New Jersey Crisis Intervention Team. “Due to Sergeant Barry’s compassion, willingness to listen, and his ongoing dedication and strategies to save lives and intervene in times of crisis, he is awarded the CIT-NJ Officer of the Year Award,” said Edward Dobleman, the New Jersey State CIT director.”

Mike proudly accepted the award on behalf of his officers who saved over 285 lives.

On February 28th, 2020, after 41 years of Police service, Mike retired from the Port Authority Police to begin a career with the National Police Defense Foundation as the Director of Programs and Services. He lives in Bergen County, New Jersey with his wife Yolanda, and two German Shepherds.