Two Longtime Lacey Police Officers Rise To Rank Of Lieutenant

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The future of the Lacey Township police department does not start with him, Police Chief David A. Paprota said.

"A chief can do nothing without an exceptional command staff," he said, before longtime officers Christopher Cornelius and Michael DiBella were sworn into as lieutenants in a packed Township Committee meeting Wednesday night.

Fellow officers of the two men lined the walls of the meeting room and spilled out into the hallway during the ceremony. Their presence was a tribute to the esteem both Cornelius and DiBella are held in, Township Committeeman Mark Dykoff said.

"I can't think of two better gentlemen to be honored by this township as lieutenants," he said.

The promotions are part of the restructuring of the police department, a process that will take between six to eight months, said Paprota, who took over in March.

"It's a major step in the police department," Paprota said.

Cornelius - a 16-year department veteran - has already been fulfilling the duties of a lieutenant's position for the past two years, the chief said.

"I'm proud of him," he said. "I'm proud to present him with these lieutenant bars."

DiBella has held a number of titles since he began as a special police officer in 1994. He was also a police dispatcher before becoming a police officer. He served as a detective, juvenile officer and patrol squad administrator, Paprota said.

"You two have earned your positions," Mayor David E. Most said. "You can see this department has a lot of be proud of. They are not on the job for eight hours. They are on the job 24-7. That's our police department."