Holding to a plan that was announced earlier this year, Freehold Township officials have hired five police officers to keep pace with the significant number of officers from the Freehold Township Police Department who will be eligible to retire over the next three years.
The new officers came on board on July 28 and took their oaths of office at the July 29 meeting of the Township Committee in front of friends and family members. All five men are veterans of the armed forces.
Police Chief Ernest Schriefer presented the new officers with their badges.
Freehold Township Mayor David Salkin said 2014 begins a major transition in the Police Department that will require the replacement of about 20 percent of the force over the next three years.
“We are being proactive as our officers retire, to maintain our numbers,” Salkin said. “We have four Marines and one soldier [joining the department]. All five have already served their country, now they will serve their community.”
Township Administrator Peter Valesi previously said there are currently 62 sworn police officers in the department, and 16 are eligible for retirement during the next three years.
Valesi said one officer retired in April and another is scheduled to retire on Oct. 1. He said two officers separated by other means.
As for the new officers, Richard J. Gregg of Freehold Township graduated from Freehold High School, Freehold Borough, in 2005 and attended Brookdale Community College, Lincroft. He has taken firefighting courses at the Monmouth County Fire Academy, Howell, and is an associate member of the East Freehold Fire Company, Freehold Township. Gregg joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2009 and has one year remaining on his military contract. He served a tour of duty in Afghanistan and is now a corporal. He will begin training at the Monmouth County Police Academy, Freehold Township, this month.
Steven Hayes of Freehold Township graduated from Spotswood High School in 2000 and is taking classes at Middlesex County College, Edison, working toward a degree in fire science. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2005 and served until 2008. He served a tour in Iraq and advanced to the rank of lance corporal. Hayes will begin training at the police academy this month.
James A. Lasky IV of Freehold Township graduated from Colts Neck High School in 2007. He attends Brookdale Community College and is working toward a degree in criminal justice.
In August 2008, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served until 2013. While in the Marines, Lasky served two tours in Afghanistan and advanced to the rank of sergeant. Lasky is a firefighter with the East Freehold Fire Company. He will begin training at the police academy this month.
Lasky’s father, James Lasky III, is a retired captain with the Freehold Township Police Department.
Jason P. Nodine of Freehold Township graduated from Manalapan High School in 2001. He graduated from Rutgers University with a bachelor’s degree, majoring in communications, with a minor in Middle Eastern studies.
Nodine joined the U.S. Army in 2005 and served until 2010. He served two tours in Iraq and advanced to the rank of sergeant. He will begin training at the police academy this month.
Daniel J. Rehberg of Freehold Township graduated from Freehold High School in 2006. He is taking classes at Brookdale Community College, working toward a degree in criminal justice. He has had training at the Monmouth County Fire Academy and received training in swim and open water scuba diving.
In September 2009, Rehberg joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served until 2013. He served a tour in Afghanistan and advanced to the rank of corporal. Rehberg is a lieutenant in the East Freehold Fire Company. He graduated from the police academy in May.