Plainfield police officer to be honored for thwarting man with machete outside church

Last year on Palm Sunday, Plainfield Police Officer Danielle Carvalho was blocks away from Calvary Baptist Church on Monroe Avenue when a church staffer called 911 to report a man outside with a machete.

Carvalho was the first officer on scene, unsure of how many people may be inside the church since some churches were still virtual at that time because of the pandemic.

"I see him standing at a (side) door. The description matches perfectly. He is standing with the machete in his right hand down at his side. I get out of the car and draw my gun, I'm ordering him (repeatedly) to drop the machete. He starts screaming incoherently," Carvalho said.

She said the man then started waving his free hand at her and she continued to order him to drop the machete.

He then raised the machete above his head and ran toward her at full speed.

Plainfield Officer Danielle Carvalho stands outside Calvary Baptist Church on Monroe Avenue where she stopped a man armed with a machete during a mental health episode on Palm Sunday 2021.
Plainfield Officer Danielle Carvalho stands outside Calvary Baptist Church on Monroe Avenue where she stopped a man armed with a machete during a mental health episode on Palm Sunday 2021.

"I then fire one round at him, striking him in the right shoulder area, which drops his arm, but not the machete," said Carvalho.

The man stopped and stared at her for about 10 seconds, then turned and ran around the corner and up a driveway where he was caught by other officers who had responded to the scene.

She later learned the man's family lived nearby and he had recently received mental health treatment and had run out of his medication.

"You just never know what you are walking into," she said. "I'm glad he's alive.

"There comes a point in your career and in your life, when you are in this field, where you have to make the decision of possibly taking somebody's life and it's hard," the officer continued. “Even the fact that I shot him is something I have to deal with. If I had killed him than that's just an added layer of anxiety on top of everything else."

For her actions in protecting the public from an armed person suffering with a mental health issue, Carvalho, a 12-year Plainfield Police Department veteran, will be honored May 13 with a valor award from The Two Hundred Club of Union County.

She is one of 18 uniformed first responders being recognized for their heroic actions at the 2022 Valor Awards Ceremony and Luncheon at the Hilton Garden Inn on Route 22 in Springfield. The 12:15 p.m. ceremony is the organization's first in-person event since 2019.

The medal of valor awards are given for actions above and beyond the call of duty.

Also being honored from the Plainfield Police Department are Lt. Christopher Sylvester and Sgt. Troy Alton for intervening and mitigating a dangerous situation with different knife-wielding men experiencing a mental health crisis.

"I could not be more proud of Lt. Sylvester, Sgt. Alston and Officer Carvalho. They exemplify the high standards of the Plainfield Police Department. Every day, officers leave their homes not knowing the dangers they may encounter at work. Recognizing this, they placed their lives in harm’s way for the sake of others. I commend the 200 Club for recognizing the work of these outstanding individuals," Plainfield Police Director James Abney said in a statement.

Also being honored are New Providence Police Detective Nicholas Guerriero and Officers Michael Carlino and Jeffrey Bruder for rescuing motorists and passengers from a car caught in flash flooding during Hurricane Ida. Springfield Police Lt. Ryan Westover is being honored for responding to a car crash and fire on the Garden State Parkway near Old Bridge, while off-duty.

Elizabeth firefighters Jimmillion Chen, Kyle Haszko, Julian Hilongos, Ryan Dougherty and Matthew Blaskewicz are being honored for flash flooding rescues during Hurricane Ida.

Elizabeth Police Detectives Alexander Gonzalez, Luis A. Figueiredo, Rui. S. Xavier and Michael M. Nicolas are being recognized for identifying and removing firearms from a city street after observing suspicious activity while undercover.

New Jersey State Police Trooper II Patrick Cassidy is being honored for attempting to save an elderly person in an Elizabeth house fire and another trooper, Stephen Riefler, is being lauded for responding to a Union County house fire and guiding civilians to safety.

Plainfield Officer Danielle Carvalho stands outside Calvary Baptist Church on Monroe Avenue where she stopped a man armed with a machete during a mental health episode on Palm Sunday 2021.
Plainfield Officer Danielle Carvalho stands outside Calvary Baptist Church on Monroe Avenue where she stopped a man armed with a machete during a mental health episode on Palm Sunday 2021.

Carvalho said she has already received a valor award from the state PBA for the Palm Sunday incident.

"This one means more to me because it's within my own county, and it's given by civilians," said Carvalho, a city native whose husband and sister also serve on the Plainfield Police Department. "The state PBA is given by officers and we recognize each other all the time because a police officer a lot of times is a thankless job, so we try to congratulate each other and say good job to each other all the time, but we're not always recognized by the citizens we work for and we do for. So the fact that this comes from the citizens of the county, who say I'm going to take the time out of my day to acknowledge somebody that did something great, even in the wake of disband police and defund them, they stand by our side and say there are good cops and we appreciate you."

Carvalho began her career as a dispatcher but there came a point in her career when she wanted to know what happened on the other end of the call.

"I was intrigued by the outcome of things and I never got that type of closure as a dispatcher, so I decided it was time to further my career," she said.

Carvalho said she is now one of nearly 30 women police officers on the city's force, including three on her shift.

"I enjoy seeing us taking charge and being active in our communities as well," she said, adding women bring a different sense of compassion to law enforcement.

Email: srussell@gannettnj.com

Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Union County NJ first responders to be honored at 200 Club event