Gloucester Township Police Deputy Chief David Harkins used his final opportunity to speak during Monday night's Township Council meeting to thank three officials he says were a huge help as the township's men and women in blue recovered from the Dec. 28 shooting inside police headquarters.

"I just want to publicly thank Mr. (Tom) Cardis, the mayor (David Mayer), Mr. (Len) Moffa and all the support that we got from the incident of the shooting at police headquarters, especially Mr. Moffa and Mr. Cardis, to ensure that our police station was restored as quickly as possible. Personally thank them," Harkins said. "The many officers have to pass through there and are working there now, and it was very important for us to get it back to a level of normalcy."

Cardis is the township's business administrator and Moffa its public works director.

A man arrested early on Dec. 28 disarmed a police officer as he was being processed on a domestic-violence stalking charge and began firing the officer's weapon, according to authorities. The gunman, identified by police as Eddie Jones III, 39, of Willingboro, was shot and killed by police.

"On behalf of the chief, we wanted to thank (everyone for) all the support that we got," Harkins added. "Even just the visual reminders, to get them erased by public works, they put in some long hours and it's greatly appreciated by the police department."

Mayer and Police Chief W. Harry Earle did not attend Monday's meeting. They instead attended a session on school security.

Monday's was the first public-action Council meeting (not including the Jan. 2 reorganization meeting) since the shootout inside the police station.