BARNEGAT TOWNSHIP -- Chris Ebert is on a mission to recruit bagpipers.
The sound of the bagpipes has become associated with police funerals, but the number of police officers and firefighters playing the instrument has declined, band organizers say.
For the past 12 years, Ebert, a patrolman for the township Police Department, has attended police funerals and functions, sporting a plaid kilt with his set of bagpipes slung across his chest.
But he was the only bagpiper to play at the annual memorial ceremony this spring and last year at the Ocean County Police Academy. He was also the sole bagpiper to perform at the funeral of Harvey Cedars police Officer Angelo Vasile, who was killed in a hit-and-run in May 2010.
"My big issue is we don't have enough people coming out to play at these events," said Ebert, 40.
"It gets stressful making sure that you're available for every event. When you show up at a funeral up north you have pipes and drums everywhere, but you go to a funeral around here, it's really scarce."
Ebert, who is a member of the Ocean County Emerald Society Pipes and Drums, said he has started a recruitment campaign. He is distributing fliers through the Ocean County PBA County Conference for delegates to post in police departments.
"It is a commitment to play," Ebert said. "A lot of people will usually drop out before they even perform. It's not too easy."
Band manager Bernie Snyder has played in the band since its inception.
The Ocean County Emerald Society Pipes and Drums was founded in 1992 in New Jersey to help spread the Irish tradition through bagpipe music and perform at police, firefighter and veteran related events.
Snyder, 65, retired as a Lacey Township police officer in 2000, and said he still plays the bagpipes, but can no longer march in parades.
Snyder said a decrease in membership is in part to the popularity of bagpipe bands.
"There are so many groups now it has really watered the amount of people. At one time we were one of the only bands in Ocean County and there were only three bands south of the twin bridges," Snyder said.
Snyder said the band has about 35 members, down from 40.
He said the majority of bagpipe bands originated in North Jersey.
"The departments in urban areas are larger and have more of the ranks to pull from. If there is a police memorial that they need to play at a larger department is able to pull guys from the force to send the event. With smaller departments you just can't do that anymore," he said.
The band is made up of police officers, firefighters and civilians, including school teachers and emergency medical service workers.
Snyder said in previous years after the band's performances at St. Patrick's Day parades the group could usually expect about six new members. But recently only one or two people expressed interest.
Ebert said it would be helpful if police departments were like his own and more supportive of officers performing at functions and providing the time off.
But younger police officers and firefighters in Ocean County just aren't as interested in performing with the band, Snyder said.
"A lot of the younger guys today just aren't participating. Whether it's that they don't have the time or they just don't want to, I don't know," Ebert said.
Snyder said younger officers and firefighters are participating in North Jersey counties, including Union and Essex, as well as Camden County to the south.
"With us being a police and fire band these people work shift work and weekends so it's difficult for them to participate," he said.
Jim Ryan, spokesman for the state Policemen's Benevolent Association, said the decrease in the number of police and firefighters participating in bagpipe bands could be connected to layoffs.
"Since January 2010, we have 4,000 fewer police officers across the state. We're out there doing less with more and the scope of our jobs has become more violent," Ryan said.
Ryan said departments are stretched and officers are doing more work.
"I'm sure officers would like to do something like this, but a lot of them just don't have the time because they're working so hard just to keep up," he said.
Contact Donna Weaver:
609-226-9198
