MONROE – Six officers who were sworn in to the Monroe Township Police Department stood out from hundreds of other applicants by achieving the highest scores within the department’s written, oral and physical agility testing.
Surrounded by family and friends, Taylor Deickman, Matthew Mangarella, Patrick McCann, Sean Meagher, Douglas Perrone and Marc Tyson took their oath of office in front of a packed house at Monroe’s municipal building on Feb. 5.
Each of the new officers graduated from the Monmouth County Police Academy this past December, bringing the department’s manpower count to 59, according to Monroe Police Chief Michael Lloyd.
“Our police department is an impressive mix of seasoned professionals and enthusiastic young officers,” Monroe Mayor Gerald W. Tamburro said in a prepared statement. “We welcome them to our force and are grateful they chose Monroe to launch their promising young careers. Monroe prides itself on its police force, which has helped secure our high standings in any number of regional and national safety rankings.”
Many of Monroe’s council members mirrored the mayor’s sentiments with well wishes and a few cautionary words.
“We wish these new officers nothing but success,” Council President Stephen Dalina said in the statement. “Moreover, we pray for their safety as they patrol our streets and keep a watchful eye over our community.”
Officials swore in the officers shortly after learning that The National Council for Home Safety and Security named Monroe the eighth safest city in New Jersey. Only municipalities with populations of 10,000 or more were included. Monroe is the sole municipality in Middlesex County mentioned in the trade association’s rankings, according to the statement.
Prior to releasing its findings, the National Council examined figures from the FBI’s most recent Uniform Crime Report, along with its own population data and internal research.
“Our department provides a heavy patrol presence throughout the township and in every neighborhood,” Lloyd said in the statement. “Understanding the importance of outreach, our officers are routinely and actively engaged in the community. We take a proactive approach to keeping our residents informed and we routinely provide various community groups with lectures on fraud, cybercrimes and crime prevention as a whole.”