Like other full-time city employees, he will receive a 1.5 percent pay cut. His salary after the cut is $73,080
By Linda Seida, Staff Writer
LAMBERTVILLE — Bruce Cocuzza will be the city’s police director for another three years.
He will not receive a raise. Like other full-time city employees, he will receive a 1.5 percent pay cut as the city tightens its budget. His salary after the cut is $73,080.
Mr. Cocuzza, who will turn 57 next month, has been the city’s police director for 10 years. His last three-year contract expired March 31.
”He really brought the Police Department into the 21st century and will continue to make the department even better,” Mayor David Del Vecchio said. “The department has come a long way. This is the best police department we’ve ever had.”
City Councilman Ron Pittore seconded the sentiment, calling Mr. Cocuzza “very professional.”
Mr. Cocuzza was all smiles, appearing relaxed and pleased after the mayor announced the new contract Monday after a closed-door session of the City Council was held to discuss personnel.
He acknowledged the past year has been “a tough one, in a lot of ways,” including personally and professionally. Despite the difficulties, he sounded happy to remain on the job in Lambertville.
Among the difficulties has been a legal battle to keep a fired police sergeant off the force. The conflict began in 2007 and concluded earlier this year when the courts overturned the officer’s dismissal. He returned to the job last month.
Mr. Cocuzza oversees a department that includes 10 full-time officers, a part-time parking enforcement officer, a part-time secretary and two school crossing guards.
A Brooklyn native, he retired as a captain from the New York City Police Department. He then became a U.S. marshal, serving in Trenton. He also waged two unsuccessful campaigns for Hunterdon County sheriff.
Mr. Cocuzza inherited a department that had become a public fiasco. It was such a mess the county prosecutor’s office took it over in the early 1990s.
The prosecutor’s office stepped in again in 1997, this time at the city’s request, as the department made the transition from a police chief to a police director.
Mr. Cocuzza is the city’s second police director. He replaced Al Varga.
[email protected].

