The three are Andre Jackson, Raymond McCarthy and Joyce Cheung
By Ed Birch, Special Writer
South Brunswick has added three police officers as of July 8.
”These three additional officers are replacements for both retirements and vacancies caused by a round of recent internal promotions” Mayor Frank Gambatese said.
The three officers, Andre Jackson, Raymond McCarthy and Joyce Cheung were sworn in at the Township Council meeting July 9 that was attended by many fellow officers and family.
Mr. Jackson, 30, is a former police officer from Patterson. He graduated from the Patterson Police Academy and served approximately one year before being laid off due to budget constraints. He subsequently was hired by the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office and assigned to the County Task Force.
Officer Jackson is a graduate of Ramapo College in Suffern, New York, and holds a bachelor’s degree in political science. He has received formal training in undercover narcotics investigations, tactical firearms and prosecution of street gangs.
In addition, he is active in the Canaan Baptist Church. He resides in South Brunswick with his girlfriend, Jacinta. His mother, Annette, and his son, Andre Jr., attended the swearing-in ceremony.
The Bible for his oath was held by his godfather, retired Capt. Joseph Grier from the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department.
Mr. McCarthy, 29, is a former police officer from New Jersey Institute of Technology.
He joins the South Brunswick Police Department after serving at the Jersey City school. He trained at the Stamler Police Academy in Union County. He still holds the record for the 1.5-mile run at the academy with a time of 8:12.
He was born in Freehold Township and resides in Bedminster. He graduated from Rowan University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He is working towards his master’s degree at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Prior to entering law enforcement, he was a writer and editor for Golf Week Magazine.
His father, Martin, and his mother, Kathleen, attended the ceremony along with his sister, Meghan, who held the Bible. His sister is a police officer in Franklin Township.
Ms. Cheung, 25, has worked as a deputy sheriff in Essex County. For the last year, she also has worked as a police officer for the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
She was born in Hong Kong and immigrated to the United States in 1998. She was granted citizenship in 2008.
She graduated from Rutgers University in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology and a minor in biochemistry. She is conversant in Chinese.
She is a certified medical technician, a firefighter and emergency dispatcher.
Her parents reside in China. She lives with her sister, Grace, in Highland Park. Her sister held the Bible for the swearing in.
Police Chief Raymond Hayducka thanked the Township Council for its support in increasing the size of his police force.
”I look forward to future meetings of this body where we hope to again increase the size of our police force and also announce some more staff promotions,” he said.

