Fair Lawn To Remember Police Officer Killed In Line Of Duty

FAIR LAWN, NJ — Fair Lawn is remembering the life of a police officer "who made the ultimate sacrifice" 20 years ago, authorities said.

Mary Ann Collura, an 18-year veteran of the Fair Lawn Police Department, was shot and killed during her course of duty when she had attempted to subdue an actor involved in a vehicle pursuit on April 17, 2003, a memorial page said.

Collura, Fair Lawn's first female police officer and a lifelong resident of the borough, will be remembered in a ceremony at 7 p.m. April 17 in front of the Fair Lawn Municipal Building, an event flyer said.

Having received numerous awards and commendation letters for her service, Collura is remembered as a "hero," the local police department said on the memorial page.

All are welcome to attend the ceremony held at the Mary Ann Collura Memorial Statue at the municipal building; the statue — Herald News reported — depicts Collura giving glow necklaces to kids dressed for Halloween. It was her suggestion in 1999, the police department said, that children be given glowing lights to wear at night when trick-or-treating.

"Her project has been repeated every year since," the department said.

In addition to the ceremony, an event to raise money for the Officer Collura Scholarship Fund will be held on April 22 from 4 to 11 p.m. at the Fair Lawn Athletic Club. A fund was established in Collura's memory by the Fair Lawn Police Benevolent Association #67 for local high school students.