Washington promotes Robert Woodruff to chief, makes Martin Masseroni its first captain.
By: Mark Moffa
WASHINGTON At 9:22 a.m. Monday everything changed for the township’s Police Department.
Yet, everything remained the same.
Before almost every member of the department, Lt. Robert Woodruff was sworn in as acting police chief at the township’s Senior Center, as the department began to move on from a year of controversy and turmoil.
Prior to that ceremony, Lt. Martin Masseroni was appointed the township’s first-ever captain.
The lieutenants together have been running the Police Department since Chief Paul Krych took leave in June. He will retire at the end of the year.
Lt. Ralph Fiasco also announced in May that he was retiring.
Both retirements came amid an investigation into claims Lt. Fiasco misused his powers as a supervisor to threaten and mentally abuse officers, in addition to other allegations.
The township earlier this year lost an appeal of a 1999 workers’ compensation ruling in which a judge said former Officer James Morris was mentally incapacitated through actions of Lt. Fiasco and Chief Krych.
The lieutenants were introduced by Committeeman Vince Calcagno.
"This is certainly a new beginning," he said. "This is going to be a change, I think, for the good."
He said emergency personnel such as police officers are seen in a different light since the tragic events of Sept. 11.
"Everybody looks at our public safety very differently now," Mr. Calcagno said.
"We walked into a very difficult situation in the beginning of the year," Mayor Dave Fried said. "They’ve really handled themselves well."
Acting Chief Woodruff, almost in tears, thanked the mayor, Township Administrator Dick Van Noy, and the Township Committee for their help with the transition.
"We’re very proud of you for what you have done for us," he said. "We will repay you in one way or another, I promise."
The acting chief then addressed the crowd of officers present, describing the plans he and Capt. Masseroni have for the future.
"I promise all you guys we will be fair, we will respect you and we will do all that we can to keep the morale of the department at 100 percent," he said. "I won’t let you down."
He and Capt. Masseroni then hugged, kissing each other on the cheek.
The new captain praised the "leadership and forward thinking" of the Township Committee, and said he and acting Chief Woodruff would be responsive to the community’s changing needs.
"The progressive future of this Police Department will be protected through progressive leadership," he said.
Capt. Masseroni was sworn in by Township Clerk Bernadette Dubuss, with his wife, Theresa, holding the Bible.
Acting Chief Woodruff was sworn in by Mayor Fried, with his fiancée, Annette Glynos, holding the Bible.
At the end of his ceremony, the room erupted in applause and cheering, as the officers gave their new chief a standing ovation.
Capt. Masseroni, 47, who lives in Hamilton, has been with Washington for 21 years.
He started his career in law enforcement as an officer with the Air National Guard in 1976. He went on to become a member of the Mercer County Park Police. In Washington, he was promoted to sergeant in 1988, and to lieutenant in 1999.
He has three children, 20-year-old Vincent, 15-year-old Mark, 9-year-old Anthony.
Acting Chief Woodruff, 55, has lived in Washington for 28 years. He began his career as an undercover narcotics officer in Hightstown in 1971. He moved on to regular patrol duty, and was hired as Washington’s second full-time officer in 1973.
In 1974 he became a lieutenant.
He said the township was a small town at that time, in which almost everyone knew each other.
"Now that the complexion is changing we don’t have that closeness," he said. "My goal is to bring the department closer to the community."
The acting chief is expected to become the permanent chief after Chief Krych formally retires at the end of the year. Chief Krych is on the department’s payroll, but is inactive.
Acting Chief Woodruff said Washington used to be a "proactive traffic enforcement police department."
He wants the department to be seen as a community policing unit now.
"We definitely still need traffic enforcement," he said. "But there’s more to the job than writing tickets."

