BY JENNIFER AMATO
Staff Writer
NORTH BRUNSWICK – Police Lt. Joseph Battaglia and Patrolman John Haas were promoted to higher ranks during the July 2 Township Council meeting.
Battaglia, 47, most recently served as the patrol division commander, overseeing the department’s uniformed division and traffic safety sector. The 47-year-old, who was born and raised in North Brunswick before moving out of town 15 years ago, will now assume the rank of acting deputy chief, replacing Donald Conry who retired on May 1 from the position. Lt. Keith Buckley will now become the patrol division commander and the president of the SOA.
“Every officer’s goal is to achieve the highest rank they possibly can. Sometimes it’s difficult because there are 84 men and one possible opportunity for every guy. The circumstances were right, the timing is right, it just happens to be right,” Battaglia said. “This is still home for me and that gives me the greatest joy, that I can be part of this organization with some of the finest individuals, and be part of the community I love.”
As deputy chief, Battaglia will be second in command to Director Kenneth McCormick and will be responsible for the daily operations of the entire police department including high profile investigations, policy changes and implementations, the ordering and maintenance of equipment and internal affairs.
“I hope to continue the direction the director put in motion. The department has come a long way since Kenny has been in charge. Morale is as high as it’s ever been among officers, the equipment is as good as it’s ever been, training is as good as it’s ever been. I want to continue in that path,” he said.
During his 22 years of service to North Brunswick, Battaglia served in the detective and juvenile bureaus and in crime prevention, and was a bias officer, press officer and communications operator. He was integral in developing the neighborhood watch program and the institution of a chief’s ordinance, which made the position of deputy chief available.
“It’s ironic, it came full circle, from the time I lobbied for that to the time it came to that,” he said.
He was also involved with the union from his second year on the job, previously serving as the head of the SOA. He volunteered in the World Trade Center search and recovery effort at the Fresh Kills Landfill in Staten Island, N.Y., and has received an exceptional service award, three lifesaving awards and numerous commendations.
The first in his family to become involved in law enforcement, he is currently attending Caldwell College as a criminal justice major.
In the future, Battaglia said he would like to incorporate the neighborhood watch program with community oriented policing so that both can be used interchangeably as tools for the police department.
“I think if you can achieve that throughout the township, we can cut crime, improve the relationship between the community and the police department and foster a relationship between both. I think it’s a great thing,” he said.
Haas began his commitment to North Brunswick in 1987. Also a homegrown resident, he, Battaglia and McCormick grew up together, serving as volunteer firemen and then deciding to take the policemen’s test together. Over the past 20 years, Haas has been a patrolman, serving in the patrol division, the juvenile bureau as a detective, the K-9 unit and as a communications operator. He was the trainer and handler of Odin, a canine member of the department who is memorialized on a monument outside of police headquarters.
In addition to volunteering during the World Trade Center recovery effort in 2001, he was deployed to New Orleans in 2005 as part of the New Jersey Task Force Strike Team 3 after Hurricane Katrina. He participated in search and recovery operations, provided force security for emergency personnel, acted as uniformed patrol in two New Orleans police districts and assisted many victims with humanitarian aid.
“They were probably two of the most rewarding and challenging things I have ever done here,” he said.
Haas has received an exceptional service award and numerous commendations. He currently attends Caldwell College as a criminal justice major.
Haas will now become a road sergeant, working the 9:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. shift. The 44-year-old South Brunswick resident will now oversee the six patrolmen who work the midnight shift, fielding any questions they have during an incident. He will review their reports and will be responsible for handling roll call.
“Even though the job is similar to what I’m doing now, every now and then it’s nice to change and do something different. … It’s a welcome change to try something new,” he said.
Haas said his desire to help people is what led him to law enforcement. Although he has tried several times to become a sergeant, this year the combination of his test score and seniority points enabled him to move up in rank.
Yet he said he will miss the patrol division, especially the officers he used to work with. Now working the overnight shift, he will be assigned to a new squad. He also must resign as president of the PBA, which he said he enjoyed greatly; former Vice President Mike McGinn will now become the president.
A new patrolman will be hired to fill the vacant spot left by Haas, most likely in January.
Both new positions became effective as of the swearing in ceremony during the council meeting.