MIDDLETOWN – Robert Oches, a 30-year Middletown Police Department veteran of, was sworn in at the March 21 Township Committee meeting as chief of the Middletown Police Department.
Frederick J. Henry, 25-year police veteran, was sworn in as lieutenant.
Oches, a lifelong Middletown resident and United States Marine Corps veteran, has served as one of the Police Department’s two deputy chiefs since 1997. As deputy chief he was responsible for all components of the Technical Services Division, which includes the Detective and Service bureaus, Community Relations and Computer Operations. Oches replaces former Chief John Pollinger, who retired last month.
Chief Oches’ police career began with the Middletown Police Department on June 17, 1974, where he was assigned to the Patrol Division, after graduation from the New Jersey State Police Academy.
On July 5, 1979, then Chief Joseph McCarthy reassigned Oches as a Detective to the Detective Bureau. While in the Detective Bureau he was assigned the responsibility for the investigation of sex crimes and child abuse. Oches was promoted to detective sergeant on June 9, 1983 and to detective lieutenant on Nov. 11, 1985. Oches served as the executive officer of Detective Bureau from May 1989 until May 1992.
In May 1992, then Chief William Fowlie selected Oches to form the newly created post of Planning, Training and Internal Affairs, which brought the police department in compliance with the Attorney General guidelines. On April 17, 1995, Chief Fowlie reassigned Oches as the Division Commander of the Service & Records Division, with the rank of Acting Captain. During the month of July 1997, Acting Captain Oches served as the acting chief of police, during the selection process for the chief’s post. Deputy Chief Oches was named acting chief of police for the second time on Feb. 28, 2005 by Township Administrator Robert Czech.
Chief Oches has earned a master of arts degree in administration of justice from Monmouth University, a bachelor of science in Human Services from Thomas Edison State College, an associate of arts in public administration and of sciences in criminal justice from Brookdale Community College. He has also attended many training courses including the 182nd session of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va., and the West Point Command and Leadership Program, which is sponsored by the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police.
Chief Oches and his wife of more than 30 years, Joanne, have two children, Robert, 27, and Kristen, 25. Oches served as a volunteer coach with Middletown Pop Warner Eagles, from 1988 to 1992, and as an instructor for the coach’s safety clinic. He has been a guest speaker for Brookdale Community College’s Criminal Justice Program and the Monmouth County Chiefs Association for the Monmouth County Human Rights Commission.
In addition, Chief Oches serves as an adjunct instructor of Criminal Justice at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, where he teaches Police Organization and Administration and Introduction to Public Administration.
Sgt. Frederick J. Henry, who is 50 and a lifelong resident of Middletown, was promoted to lieutenant. Henry, a United States Air Force Veteran, graduated from the New Jersey State Police Academy for Municipal Police Officers in 1979.
After starting his career with the Asbury Park Police Department, he joined the Middletown Police Department in 1980. He was promoted to Sergeant in 1990. Henry’s assignments have included regular patrol police officer, patrol supervisor, traffic supervisor and police administration. Henry attended a 10-week management course, the School of Police Staff and Command, in 2000.
Henry and his wife of 24 years, Ann Marie, have two sons, James, 21 and Joseph, 17. He retired from the New Jersey Air National Guard after 23 years of service.