Mayor Jack DeLorenzo, a retired Hasbrouck Heights police captain, this evening prevailed in his quest to gain the support of the Bergen County Republican Organization (BCRO) for sheriff in a special Nov. 6th election.

A South Bergenite, DeLorenzo will be running for the position left vacant after the resignation last month of former Sheriff Mike Saudino.

Saudino left the sheriff’s office after the surfacing of a tape of him making racist remarks.

Tonight at the VFW Hall in Hasbrouck Heights – the winner’s home town – DeLorenzo defeated a Republican field that included Harry Shortway, Jr. of Midland Park, and Matthew Ryan of Mahwah and Louis Morrell of Garfield.

He had already put on ice the candidacy of Alan Brundage, who didn’t participate in the convention.

Tonight, there was a late pulse in the room for Shortway but not enough to catch DeLorenzo.

“We believe we have a great candidate with experience in law enforcement and in local government. Jack DeLorenzo has the credentials to be an excellent sheriff for all the people of Bergen County,” said BCRO Chairman Jack Zisa.

DeLorenzo is a 25-year veteran of the borough’s police department who retired as a detective captain. He is a U.S. Army veteran and served in the Military Police Corps. He also served three terms on the Hasbrouck heights Board of Education before being elected mayor.

DeLorenzo said he is delighted to represent the Republican Party in the election to replace Saudino.

“There is no place for discrimination in law enforcement at any level, especially in a department that serves nearly 1 million people of dozens of nationalities and ethnicities and multiple racial groups,” said DeLorenzo.

“When a person meets a uniformed sheriff’s officer on the street, he or she must know that they are dealing with a trained professional who will do his or her duty without regard to race, gender or any other factor. That’s the way I conducted myself in my law enforcement career and I will not accept anything less if I am elected Sheriff,” he added.