Veteran Princeton Township police officer is retiring.
By: David Campbell
He’s been described as steadfast and rock-solid.
A soft-spoken, level-headed leader who never once lost his cool on the job.
A valued mentor whom younger officers can turn to for guidance and advice.
And now, after 33 years with the Princeton Township Police Department, Capt. Peter J. Savalli is retiring.
Patrolman Geoffrey Maurer, an eight-year veteran with the department, recalls being interviewed by Capt. Savalli when the patrolman was first looking for a job, and said the captain was the point person for professional development in the years that have followed.
"He’s knowledgeable, and he takes the community’s interests to heart," Patrolman Maurer said. "He really is a true professional. He could answer any question you needed answered. With me, as my career in community policing has evolved, I’ve been able to go to him and bounce ideas off of him. He’s always been there with constructive guidance."
Indeed, the patrolman continued, Capt. Savalli is one of those exceptional officers who makes a point of keeping abreast of the changes in law enforcement over the years which, needless to say, have been considerable since the captain graduated from the police academy in 1971.
Put simply, the patrolman added: "He’s the kind of police officer if your wife or daughter is in trouble, he’s the kind of officer you’d want there taking care of them."
Police Chief Anthony Gaylord said Capt. Savalli has been "outstanding" on the force and will be missed. More than that, the chief said, he’s going to be hard to replace. His departure will also send ripples throughout the police department as officers due for promotion move up the chain of command.
The captain’s successor one of the department’s two lieutenants is the likely choice is expected to be sworn in by the Township Committee in January. Lieutenant, sergeant and patrol-officer positions are also expected to be filled, Chief Gaylord said.
Capt. Savalli, 63, joined the department in July 1971 and trained at the New Jersey State Police Academy at Sea Girt. He graduated from the academy in October of that year and took on his new duties as patrol officer with the township. He’s been with the department ever since.
He was promoted to detective in charge of juvenile cases in 1984; made sergeant in 1986; was bucked up to lieutenant in 1993; and became captain, the department’s second in command, in 1995.
Capt. Savalli’s retirement will be effective as of the end of this month.
"He’s steadfast, he’s always there, you can always depend on him," Chief Gaylord said. "He’s level-headed. I never saw him lose his cool. Pete’s one of a kind, a sort of low-keyed, steady guy you can depend on. He’s looked on by the rank and file for input and knowledge and really good advice."
Township Administrator James Pascale said it has been wonderful working with the captain. He described him as a "a low-profile, effective administrator who got the job done."
Mr. Pascale added, "We will miss him and wish him good luck as he begins his new life in Florida with his lovely wife."
Mayor Phyllis Marchand said, "We’re always sorry to see an officer leave our department who has served us so well. He has always served us with the integrity and humanity we’d like to think our police department represents."
Capt. Savalli said he came to police work as a second career he spent about 10 years working as an electronic technician, a job he found unfulfilling. "I wasn’t happy doing that, I thought I wanted to go into law enforcement," he said.
He said his work with juveniles was satisfying. "I enjoyed that," he continued. "You worked with the schools, dealt with the kids. It was satisfying, especially if you think you made a difference in a kid’s life."
For the last nine years, he has overseen training at the department. He was instrumental in establishing a well-equipped workout and physical-fitness facility for officers in the department, and introduced innovative training techniques like krav maga, a defensive martial art used by Israeli security and special-operations forces.
Thankfully, he said, he has never been called upon to fire his weapon at another person during his 33 years on the job. "I’m glad," he said.
In the next several months, Capt. Savalli and his wife, Marilyn, plan to move to Fort Myers, Fla., where they have vacationed for several years. Their new home, which they are having built, is about 10 miles in from the state’s western coastal waters. They expect to move in as soon as the work is complete.

