JACKSON — The Township Commit-tee has hired 12 new police officers and expects them to be out on the community’s roads within a year’s time.
In a resolution passed July 9, committee members said the 12 applicants selected have been determined to fully meet the qualifications as specified by statute and are eligible for appointment subject to the meeting of medical and psychiatric requirements of the Department of Personnel. The applicants have also secured the recommendation of the Director of Public Safety, Samuel DePasquale.
The following individuals have been appointed: Francisco Mendez, Fred Meabe, Sean Greenberger, John Suanno, Daniel Ecks, Robert Reiff, William Campbell, Christopher Wasnesky, John Libby, William Simon, Michael Bollard and Amy Dryzga.
According to DePasquale, Mendez and Campbell are already certified and will be attending an in-house agency training program. Other appointees will be attending the Ocean County Police Academy, Lakewood.
A group of six will attend the academy in August, followed by the second group of four in January. After training at the academy the officers will then also participate in the in-house agency training.
DePasquale said the Jackson police department provides a field office training program that can run up to 12 weeks. He said new officers are given extensive one-on-one training to make certain they are acclimated to the department and ready to take on the responsibilities of their position.
According to the 1999 Uniform Crime Report issued by the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, the Jackson police department had 67 officers on staff in 1999, up from 58 officers in 1998. There were 40 violent crimes reported in Jackson in 1999 (1 murder; 1 rape; 10 robberies; 28 aggravated assaults) and 615 non-violent crimes reported (142 burglaries; 447 larcenies; 26 motor vehicle thefts). There were 320 reported incidents of domestic violence, seven reported arsons and no reports of bias crime. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, there are 42,800 residents in the township.