By Kristine Snodgrass, Staff Writer
MONTGOMERY — A 15-year veteran of the Montgomery Township Police Department was promoted this month to the rank of sergeant.
Officer Kurt Rock stood with his wife, Dawn, and daughters Emily and Kaitlyn as he took his oath at a Township Committee meeting Dec. 17. The meeting room was lined with his fellow Montgomery police officers, family and friends.
”I’m honored to be selected from the pool of officers eligible for the position,” Sgt. Rock said. “I’m really looking forward to serving the department and the township in the capacity that they chose me.”
He was chosen among 13 internal candidates, who were required to have at least five years of permanently appointed service to the township as a police officer, Capt. Robert Palmer said.
The pool was narrowed to three after the results of a three-question essay exam and a review of each candidate’s personnel file by the township administrator, two members of the governing body, a police lieutenant and Capt. Palmer, he said.
The final candidates were interviewed by the Township Committee in a closed session following its Dec. 3 meeting. After those interviews, the governing body deliberated and selected Sgt. Rock, Capt. Palmer said.
Mayor Louise Wilson said the selection process revealed the “embarrassment of riches” in the township’s Police Department.
”I was left feeling extraordinarily fortunate,” she said. “The professional character and quality of our officers is something to be proud of.”
Capt. Palmer said that among the many qualified candidates, the choice of Sgt. Rock was “outstanding,” and that his broad range of training and qualifications will serve him well in the position.
Sgt. Rock, 44, holds a bachelor’s degree in geography from East Stroudsburg University and began his career with the township police force in January 1995 as a patrol officer. He was assigned to the Traffic Bureau from January 2003 through May 2005 before returning to the Patrol Bureau.
Sgt. Rock is also an instructor at the Somerset County Police Academy, a member of the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Collision Analysis Reconstruction Team (CART) and a Montgomery Police Department RADAR instructor.
”Whenever you’re looking to select a supervisor, you’re looking for those kind of attributes,” Capt. Palmer said.
With the promotion, Sgt. Rock is assigned to the Patrol Bureau as a patrol squad sergeant, a position he has held as an acting sergeant from January 2009 until his promotion.
”He will be responsible for supervising four subordinate patrol officers,” Capt. Palmer said. “He will be the officer in charge on a tour of duty, which is generally 12 hours on a rotating shift basis. We have three other sergeants who do the same thing.”
Next month he will beginning attending a supervisory program through the state Certified Public Manager Program, which will last several months, Capt. Palmer said.
ksnodgrass@centraljersey.com
