By Greg Forester, Staff Writer
PLAINSBORO — The leadership of the Plainsboro Police Department will remain an in-house affair after Township Committee members announced that Lt. Richard Furda is their selection to take over the helm of the department from retiring Chief Elizabeth Bondurant on Oct. 1.
The township began a weeks-long selection process that combed the ranks of the department for the next leader, after Chief Bondurant announced her intention to retire after some 25 years in various positions with the department in early July. Following interviews and some internal deliberations, committee members decided on Lt. Furda, a 23-year veteran of the department with a diverse portfolio of experience.
”We’re delighted to have someone as qualified as the lieutenant to replace Liz,” said Mayor Peter Cantu. “We’re confident that he will do a great job.”
The chief-to-be started his career with the Plainsboro Police Department on Aug. 26, 1985, when he began training at the now-defunct Middlesex County Police Academy. He graduated on Dec. 15 of that year. Police work began immediately for Lt. Furda.
He said he went straight over to the township’s police station that very same night to work a late-night shift as a patrolman.
Following his graduation from the police academy, Lt. Furda spent two years in the department’s Patrol Division before taking a position as a juvenile detective, which he kept for a period of six months. In 1989 Lt. Furda attained the rank of sergeant, and continued to work in the department’s Patrol Division until he successfully applied to become a detective sergeant in 1995.
At that point he began a stint leading the department’s Detective Bureau.
Finally, in 2007 Lt. Furda achieved the rank of lieutenant and took over administrative duties for the department.
There does not appear to be a need for any dire changes in the department, according to Lt. Furda, who said his predecessor ran the 33-officer organization very effectively.
”Liz has done an excellent job of keeping the ship straight,” said Lt. Furda. “We don’t have major issues.”
Lt. Furda said his focus as a police officer has always been on community policing, and maintaining a good relationship with the community. Lt. Furda has spent time working with the New Jersey Regional Community Policing Institute.
Chief Bondurant said Lt. Furda was well equipped to deal with leading Plainsboro’s police force.
”Lt. Furda has well-balanced, diverse background,” Chief Bondurant said.
Plans for the retiring chief including a continuation of her career as a teacher with the possibility of re-entering law enforcement in some other kind of capacity, she said.
Chief Bondurant, who became chief of police in 2007, currently teaches law enforcement classes at Mercer County Community College.
In addition to his Middlesex County Police Academy training, Lt. Furda holds a bachelor’s degree in law and justice from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in human services administration from Rider University.
He is also currently a doctoral candidate in the Fielding Graduate Institute’s School of Human and Organizational Systems. Like Chief Bondurant, Lt. Furda serves as an adjunct professor at Mercer County Community College.

