Politics & Government

Hiring of Officers a 'Happy Day'

Committee also hired three part-time special officers and one dispatcher

The Lacey Township Committee voted to hire four new full-time police officers who will begin their training at the Ocean County Police Academy Thursday, April 18.

“These are exceptional candidates. We are very fortunate to have such a good group of candidates coming in. We have high expectations of them and I’m sure they’ll deliver,” Chief of Police David Paprota said.

The four new officers entering the academy include:

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  • Michael Hein: worked at the Ocean County Corrections; has a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology & Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice (Kean University)
  • Daniel Ricciardella: was a professional paramedic; has a Associate's Degree in Exercise Science (Ocean County College) and Paramedic Certification (Ocean County College)
  • Anthony Sarno: Served at the Office of State Investigations as a state investigator and most recently a special agent; has a Bachelor's Degree in Developmental Psychology (Moravian College) and is completing a Master's Degree in Human Resource Training and Development (Seton Hall University)
  • Scott Keefe: was a full-time Class II special officer with the Seaside Police Department; has a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice (Kean University)

Entry-level officers make $34,000 annually.

The new officers will graduate the police academy on Thursday, Sept. 19, when they will then enter the department’s Field Training Program.

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The Committee also appointed two part-time Class II Special Law Enforcement Officers, one Class I Special Law Enforcement Officer and a part-time Public Safety Telecommunicator.

  • Jesse Urban, Class II: was a Class II special officer in Seaside Heights; is completing an Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice (Ocean County College)
  • Travis Horton, Class II: was a Class II special officer in Point Pleasant Beach; has an Associate's Degree in Business (Ocean County College)
  • James Perotti, Class I: was a Class I special officer in Lavallette; has an Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice (Ocean County College) & is completing a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice (Rutgers University).
  • Nicole Bowles, Dispatcher: worked in Seaside Park as a Class I special officer and trained with Ocean County to receive her dispatch certification; has an Associate's Degree in Political Science (Ocean County College) and is completing a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice (Berkeley College).

Special officers perform various duties including traffic control, park security, crowd control at community events and more.

These employees will begin agency training this week.

The dispatcher was hired at $12.50 per hour for a maximum of 25 hours per week.

The hiring comes after the loss of nine full-time officers, eight special officers and three full-time dispatchers over the last six years.

“I was very impressed with all your credentials,” Mayor David Most told the new hires at the Committee meeting. “Lacey’s a great place to live and it’s a better place to work.”

Hiring has been a “longtime coming” for the township, Committeeman Gary Quinn said.

“It’s a really overwhelming, happy day for Lacey Township. We need the officers on the street,” he said.

Forked River resident Richard Parker, who has 38 years in law enforcement, questioned the necessity and viability of hiring part-time special officers.

Quinn explained that a Class I officer can’t carry a weapon while a Class II officer can.

“These are officers that are hired on a part time basis to supplement regular officers doing their job,” Quinn said. “It keeps the payroll down. It’s a real cost savings to the township.”

Class I officers make $9.25 per hour for a maximum of 20 hours per week while Class II officers make $12.50 per hour for a maximum of 20 hours per week.

The township would like to eventually move the special officers up once they are trained and acclimated to the township, but they would have to take a civil service test first, which is scheduled in the fall.

“What you have here is great, and you should build on it, enlarge it,” Parker said. “I appreciate that you’re doing these things because you do need it and you need to hire more officers.”


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