By Matthew Sockol
Staff Writer
FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP – Four officers have been hired by the Freehold Township Police Department.
At the July 26 meeting of the Township Committee, Myroslav Alfeldi, Dylan Coladonato, Austin Payne and Craig Sosnowski were sworn in as officers with Freehold Township’s law enforcement agency.
According to information provided by the township, Alfeldi, 34, was born in Ukraine and moved to the United States in 2005. He obtained American citizenship in 2011. After obtaining a master’s degree at a university in Ukraine, Alfeldi attended Brookdale Community College and graduated from Monmouth University, West Long Branch, with a master’s degree in criminal justice. He resides in Freehold Township.
Coladonato, 24, was previously a Class II Special Officer with the Asbury Park Police Department. He is a 2010 graduate of Freehold Township High School. Coladonato earned a bachelor’s degree in law and justice from Rowan University, Glassboro, in 2014. He in Freehold Township.
Payne, 27, was previously a Class II Special Officer with the Asbury Park Police Department. He is a 2007 graduate of Freehold Township High School. Payne attended Brookdale Community College and earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and sociology from Rutgers University. He resides in Freehold Township.
Sosnowski, 27, was previously a Class I Special Officer with the Point Pleasant Beach Police Department. He graduated from Freehold Township High School in 2007 and earned an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Brookdale Community College. Sosnowski resides in Freehold Township.
“There has probably never been a more difficult time to be a police officer,” Committeeman David Salkin said after the officers were sworn in. “It is with great pride that we add these four men to our ranks.”
Mayor Barbara McMorrow praised the families of the police officers.
“I would like us to applaud the families because these are very difficult times,” McMorrow said. “We appreciate the sacrifice that you as friends and family members are making to have these gentlemen serve on our Freehold Township police force.”
The appointment of four new patrol officers follows the continuing retirement of veteran officers from the police department. The retirements began in earnest in 2014 when officers who had joined the department between 25 and 30 years earlier started to leave the force.
At that time, members of the governing body began planning and budgeting to hire new officers. Officials said the retirement of veteran personnel is expected to continue until 2017.
In 2014, Township Administrator Peter Valesi said there were 62 officers, including 16 who would be eligible for retirement over the next three years. The 2016 municipal budget indicates there are 66 police officers employed by Freehold Township.