Jackson officials have done away with the position of public safety director and returned the command of the Jackson Police Department to a uniformed chief of police.
DAVE BENJAMIN Matthew Kunz addresses the audience after being named Jackson’s chief of police. At its meeting on April 22, the Township Council voted 4-0 to approve an amendment to the Jackson administrative code, which returns the position of chief of police as the head of the Jackson Police Department.
The council members then voted 4-0 to name Matthew Kunz as chief of police, effective May 13. The chief ‘s starting salary will be $144,365.
Kunz was a uniformed member of the police department before being named public safety director in mid-2006. A public safety director is a civilian position and the person who holds the job does not have all of the rights and duties that a uniformed chief of police possesses.
Jackson has been without a chief of police for 22 years, instead placing the department in the hands of a public safety director. Upon taking command in two weeks, Kunz will head a police department consisting of no fewer than 86 officers, including three captains, four lieutenants, 12 sergeants and 67 patrol officers.
The new chief received congratulations upon being placed in charge of the department.
Keith Dunn, the executive vice president of the New Jersey State Policemen’s Benevolent Association, said, “On behalf of the New Jersey State PBA, together with the New Jersey chiefs association, we are proud to present you with the chief ‘s badge, the chief ‘s tie tack and also with a PBA tie tack. This is an area in which both of our organizations are in total agreement.”
Honors were also bestowed upon Kunz by Frank Cipully, the Jackson Police Department’s delegate to the state PBA, by Toms River Police Chief Michael Mastronardy and byMitchell Sklar, the executive director of the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police.
Police chiefs from Ocean County and around the state were also in attendance to honor Kunz.
“Members of the Jackson Police Department, both present and past, have worked hard to bring this position (police chief) back,” Kunz said. “Certainly, this is bigger than any one individual and it is important for the department and the community. As long as I’ve been here, I know this is something that our staff has endeavored to bring back.”
Kunz recalled his experiences as a rookie patrolman and then as he worked his way up through the ranks he observed many officers working to restore the position of chief of police.
“I know, on behalf of all of them, I want to say thank you to the mayor and council for having the courage and wisdomto bring this back to the township after a 22-year void,” Kunz said.
“We are all accustomed to saying we inherit our land fromour parents, but there is aNativeAmerican expression that says ‘We borrowed our land from our children.’ In that same spirit, I am honored to take this appointment on behalf of the present and future members of the Jackson Police Department. They can all aspire to this position knowing it has been restored,” he said.
Mayor Mark Seda said, “When I was elected mayor (in 2006), I said I was committed to the police department. I [said I] would work withinmy power to do the best that I could to bring back and restore the faith in the department and its leader.
“I think tonight we have done that. Matthew Kunz has come up through the ranks as one of our police officers in town. He has worked in Jackson and has enjoyed living here. I am proud to say, here is your new chief of Jackson,” Seda said.
In other police business, Kunz called upon Detective Mitchell Cowit, Police Officer Keith Hood, Police Officer James Anuario, Police Officer George Vidalis and Police Officer Francisco Mendez to receive the police department’s Command Citation.
“These officers conducted an investigation regarding a resident who had dangerous and controlled substances with the intent to distribute,” Kunz said.
The same resident was also investigated for the unlawful possession of a handgun.
“This investigation lasted for several hours,” Kunz said. “The individual led the officers to the seizure of 6 ounces of cocaine, a .22 caliber handgun and a large quantity of cash.”
Also honored was Police Officer Ted Kucowski, who was requested to go to neighboring Plumsted on a call for assistance.
“Plumsted received a report of a suicidal male holding a shotgun. The response drew [members of the] Jackson [Police Department], the Plumsted Police Department and the New Jersey State Police” to the scene, Kunz explained.
Kucowski, a former Plumsted police officer, assumed command of the incident and quickly and methodically assured that a proper and thorough search of the area was conducted and a criminal investigation was initiated, Kunz reported. Ultimately, the man was located, thematter was concluded and no one was injured, he said.
For his efforts during that incident, Kucowski received the Jackson Police Department’s Command Citation.