BY KATHY CHANG
Staff Writer
MILLTOWN — The swearing in ceremonies for a new police chief and three sergeants essentially marks a new era for the Milltown Police Department.
Last year, the department saw the retirement of Chief Raymond Geipel after 27 years of service. On March 20, Brian Knelle, who had been serving as acting police chief since August, was officially sworn in to the role at a Borough Council meeting with his uncle and retired Milltown Police Chief, Michael “Mickey” Varga, and his daughter, Meghan, by his side.
Knelle is a lifelong resident of Milltown and is a 22-year veteran of law enforcement. He graduated from the Middlesex County Police Academy in 1995. He had served with the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office prior to joining the Milltown Police Department in 1998.
During his service in Milltown, Knelle has held the ranks of patrolman, corporal and sergeant before being appointed to police chief last year.
In those ranks, he served as Internal Affairs supervisor, Domestic Violence supervisor and supervisor of Juvenile Matters.
Next, Luis Maldonado was sworn in to the role of sergeant with his daughter, Tatiana, by his side.
Maldonado began his police career in Trenton in 2007. He worked in the department’s Anti-Crime Unit and also served as a member of the Trenton Police Department’s Swat Team.
Maldonado joined the Milltown Police Department in 2011. He is a U.S. Navy veteran serving during the Gulf War.
James Mioduszewski was also sworn in as a sergeant with his wife, Dana, and daughter, Ava ,by his side.
Mioduszewski earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Communication from Kean University in 2001. He began his law enforcement career as a county corrections officer with the Middlesex County Department of Corrections.
In 2004, he began to work for the New Jersey State Park Police and graduated from the Morris County Police Academy.
Mioduszewski joined the Milltown Police in 2008. He was appointed as acting sergeant in 2016.
William Fama was sworn in as sergeant with his wife, Patricia, sons, Benjamin and Alexander, and daughter, Natalie, by his side.
Fama was hired by Milltown in August 2003. He graduated from the Passaic County Police Academy in 2004.
In June 2015, he was appointed acting sergeant, serving as patrol supervisor. On Feb. 1, 2016, he was transferred into the Detective Bureau and serves and continues to serve as detective sergeant.
The Milltown Police Department has 16 sworn officers.