BY KATHY CHANG
Staff Writer
OLD BRIDGE — Three veteran Old Bridge police officers have been promoted to higher ranks.
With their family by their sides, Acting Captain Joseph Mandola was sworn in to the official role as captain, Sgt. Scott Gumprecht was sworn in to the role of lieutenant and Patrolman Richard Tulko was sworn in to the role of sergeant at the Township Council meeting on Jan. 23.
Mandola began his law enforcement career in 1988 serving as a New Jersey State Police trooper. In 1991, he was sworn in as a patrol officer with the Old Bridge Police Department (OBPD).
He served in the patrol division until March 2006 when he was promoted to sergeant.
Mandola continued serving in the patrol division as a patrol supervisor and range supervisor. In 2012, he was transferred to serve as the sergeant of the police administration, undertaking the role of accreditation manager. In 2015, he was appointed to acting lieutenant and was transferred into the administration bureau.
Some of Mandola’s duties in the administration bureau included the department’s accreditation manager, training coordinator and supervisor for scheduling.
Mandola was sworn in as a lieutenant in October 2015 and was reassigned from the administration bureau to the detective bureau, serving as an Internal Affairs (IA) investigator.
While an IA investigator, he also continued maintaining his duties as range supervisor, accreditation manager and training coordinator.
In August of 2016, Mandola was appointed acting captain. He then returned to the administration bureau overseeing the patrol bureau, dispatchers, IA, range supervisor and the animal shelter.
He has earned an Associate in Arts degree from Brookdale Community College, earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University and and has earned a certificate in public business management from Rutgers University.
Mandola is enrolled in the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police and the West Point Command and Leadership Academy.
Gumprecht served in the U.S. Army prior to becoming a patrol officer with the OBPD in 1993. Three years later, he transferred to the detective bureau, serving in the narcotics division.
In 1997, Gumprecht returned to patrol and was promoted to sergeant in 2007 where he served as supervisor for the patrol bureau.
Gumprecht serves as the president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 22.
“Throughout his career, Scott has represented the OBPD as a leader and a role model and has received numerous departmental accommodations, appreciation and acknowledgements from the public for his assistance during times of need,” Mayor Owen Henry said.
Tulko began his police career with the South River Police Department. He came to the OBPD in 1999.
He served in the patrol division until 2003 and was then transferred to the detective bureau where he handled various cases including fatal accident investigations, criminal investigations and juvenile investigations.
In 2015, Tulko returned to his duties with the patrol bureau.
“Throughout his service in Old Bridge, Officer Tulko has received many departmental accommodations and letters of gratitude,” Henry said.
Contact Kathy Chang at [email protected].