A lifelong resident and longtime public servant of West New York, Commissioner Lawrence Riccardi has served 25 years in public office. He first joined the Board of Commissioners in 1983 and served for 12 years under the administration of the late Mayor Anthony Defino. Riccardi then served an additional 12 years under the administration of former mayor, turned U.S. Congressman, Albio Sires, and continues to serve under the current administration of Mayor Silverio A. Vega.
Riccardi currently serves as the Commissioner of Public Safety working closely with the West New York Police Department, and other emergency support organizations throughout the area. Fitting since Riccardi says he was born in the back of a West New York police car, while on the way to Christ Hospital.
Riccardi has lived in West New York for 63 years and has seen first hand how the town has changed over the years. He remembers West New York once having a lot more room with empty lots, where kids used to play baseball, and there was a longstanding population of German, Italian and Irish families.
Riccardi graduated from Public School No.3 and Memorial High School, and then went on to attend Jersey City State College, where he completed his bachelor’s degree in Special Education. He also completed his master’s degree in student personnel services and guidance. Riccardi then attended Teachers College at Columbia University and received his master’s in education and educational administration.
In 1967 Riccardi became a special education teacher at Harry L. Bain School, and later served as a supervisor of special education and vice principal of Harry L. Bain from 1975 to 1979. From 1980 to 1981 Riccardi served as principal of No. 1 School and was then the principal assigned to the Superintendent’s Office. In 1985 Riccardi returned to be the principal at No. 1 School and was the director of the Child Study Team. He retired in 2002.
Riccardi entered the political world in 1980 serving as a committee person for his district during late Mayor Defino’s administration. By 1983 he was elected on Mayor Defino’s ticket as the Commissioner of Public Affairs looking after the needs of the town’s senior citizens and children, which were his two areas of interest. Since then he has served in every commission office except Parks and Public Property, and continues to work for the people of West New York.
“I enjoy helping people,” said Riccardi. “That is what makes this job worth while.”