MARLBORO – The Township Council has adopted an ordinance that creates the position of deputy chief in the Marlboro Police Department. With Police Chief Bruce Hall expected to retire in September 2019, municipal officials are establishing a line of succession.
The ordinance was adopted by council members on Dec. 18.
Marlboro mandates that a sworn police officer must retire when he or she reaches the age of 65. Hall has served as police chief since 2009.
Hall has informed Business Administrator Jonathan Capp that his mandated retirement date is less than 10 months away.
In a Nov. 21 letter, Hall wrote, “It is highly recommended as a best practice to have a clearly identified succession plan in place with no less than a six-month lead time prior to the actual retirement date of the chief of police. … For an agency of our size and current structure, it would be advisable to include the position of deputy police chief in a revised table of organization to assist in the transition.”
Capp said Marlboro officials will apply to the New Jersey Civil Service Commission to hold an exam for the deputy chief and chief positions. The officers deemed eligible will be contacted to take the exam.
He said the results will be returned to the township in the form of a list and officials must appoint an officer from the top three on the results.
The Marlboro Police Department currently has five lieutenants and two captains. The lieutenants are Allan Bilinski, Steve Levy, Christine McKenna, Bryan O’Hare and Joe Tomazic. The captains are Peter Pezzullo and Fred Reck.