West Windsor police undergo biggest staff shift in department history

Four new lieutenants, three new sergeants and one newly hired officer named.

By: Jill Matthews
   WEST WINDSOR — Following its recent restructuring, the township police department promoted four men to lieutenant positions and three to sergeants, and hired one new officer during a ceremony Monday.
   The promotions represent the single largest personnel change in the department’s history.
   David Mansue, Keith Hillman, Tim Courtney and Frank Caponi were promoted to the position of lieutenant. James Carvalho, Richard VanPelt and Brian Melnick were promoted to the position of sergeant. Michael Bollentin was sworn in as a probationary police officer.
   "Because of their dedication and their commitment to the community and our police department," said Chief Joe Pica, "and because they have demonstrated the ability to do the job efficiently and effectively over and over again, I strongly believe and I have the utmost confidence that these men are ready to meet the challenges of their new position."
   Lt. Mansue, a 26-year veteran of the department, will be the commanding officer of the investigations unit, as well as the juvenile unit, and will oversee the records section of the department. Lt. Mansue spent the first 17 years of his career split between the patrol division and detective bureau before being promoted to patrol sergeant in 1995. After three years as a patrol sergeant, he was transferred back to the detective bureau, where he served as a detective sergeant. He is a graduate of Mercer County Community College and Seton Hall University.
   Lt. Hillman, who began his career with the department in 1989, will be the commanding officer of operations, traffic and emergency tactical response and training. Lt. Hillman served as a police officer in the patrol division until he was transferred to the Community Policing Unit in 1996. He was promoted in 1999 to the position of sergeant and continued with the Community Policing Unit as its supervisor. Lt. Hillman received undergraduate degrees from Mercer County Community College and Seton Hall University, as well as a master’s degree from Seton Hall.
   Lt. Courtney, who began his career at the department in 1980, will be the commanding officer for half of the patrol division. Lt.. Courtney spent 16 years as a patrol officer for the township before being promoted in 1995 to patrol sergeant, where he supervised the daily activities of patrol officers. Previous to his service in West Windsor, Lt. Courtney worked as a corrections officer at the former Trenton State Prison.
   Lt. Caponi, who started with the department 24 years ago, will be the commanding officer for half of the patrol division. Lt. Caponi spent seven years in the patrol division before being assigned to the traffic unit, where he spent eight years. He was promoted to patrol sergeant in 1997. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Trenton State College.
   Sgt. Carvalho, who has been with the department for 21 years, will be a squad supervisor for the patrol unit. Sgt. Carvalho spent eight years in the patrol section before being transferred to the detective’s unit, where he served for 13 years. Prior to becoming a police officer, he was a teacher. He received a bachelor’s degree in education from Trenton State College.
   Sgt. VanPelt, a member of the department since 1986, will be a squad supervisor for the patrol division. Except for several criminal investigative assignments, Sgt. VanPelt has spent his career within the patrol division. He also spent a tour of duty with the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Task Force. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Trenton State College and a master’s degree from Rider University.
   Sgt. Melnick, hired in 1989, served 13 years in the patrol section before being transferred to the detective bureau in 2002. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University and a master’s degree from Seton Hall University.
   Officer Bollentin was hired by the department in 1999 as a part-time dispatcher and became a full-time dispatcher in 2000. He is member of the East Windsor District 1 Rescue Squad, holds a real estate license and is pursuing an associate’s degree at Mercer County Community College.
   In December, the Township Council approved an ordinance that restructured the police department by eliminating the captain’s position and one sergeant’s position and, in turn, creating two additional lieutenant positions for a total of four. The timing for the restructuring worked well because of the July retirement of Capt. Kenneth Hawthorne and the December retirement of the department’s two lieutenants.