MANALAPAN — The members of the Township Committee have hired and sworn in the newest officers in the Manalapan Police Department.
Mayor Susan Cohen, Deputy Mayor Mary Ann Musich, Committeeman Jack McNaboe, Committeeman Barry Jacobson and Committeeman Eric Nelson welcomed the new officers and their family members to Manalapan during a meeting on Sept. 28.
The hiring of three police officers – Edward Burns, Michael J. DeCristofaro and Peter Pagano – was authorized by the governing body that evening.
In August, the hiring of police officer Christopher Capuzzo was authorized by the Township Committee.
Burns, Capuzzo, DeCristofaro and Pagano each participated in a public swearing in ceremony on the evening of Sept. 28.
In other action on Sept. 28, the committee members authorized the hiring of a full-time Class II special law enforcement officer, Thomas Butz, who took the oath of office; and the hiring of part-time Class II special law enforcement officers Connor Kelly, Jonathan Sciuto and Valerie Vacchiano, who also took the oath of office.
In his remarks during the meeting, Police Chief Edward Niesz thanked the members of the Township Committee “for moving forward with these hires. This is a welcome addition” to the police force.
Niesz commented on why the men and women who joined the department that evening did so and said, “You want to help the helpless, protect the vulnerable and be a sign of law and order in a chaotic situation. … I welcome you all to our team, to our family.”
McNaboe welcomed the new police officers to Manalapan and during his remarks, he suggested that residents take the opportunity when one presents itself to approach a police officer “and thank them for a job well done. It goes a long way and I think it would be appreciated by the officers.”
The new hires for the Manalapan Police Department followed the recent retirements of Sgt. Kevin McIntosh and Lt. Peter Chalfin.
Both men served the police department for 25 years, with McIntosh supervising the Patrol Division and Chalfin supervising the Detective Bureau, according to police department administrators.
In other business, the committee members unanimously adopted two ordinances.
The first ordinance that was adopted establishes a four-way stop intersection at Union Hill and Pension roads.
The second ordinance that was adopted excludes trucks over 4 tons registered gross weight from the portion of Union Hill Road between Pension Road and Manalapan’s border with Marlboro just east of the Covered Bridge adult community.
Township Attorney Roger McLaughlin said the ordinance, which seeks to control through commercial traffic between Pension Road in Manalapan and Route 9 in Marlboro, will not take effect until and unless officials in Marlboro enact a similar prohibition on Union Hill Road from that township’s border with Manalapan to the Route 9 interchange.
McLaughlin said Marlboro officials will be asked to enact such an ordinance.