JACKSON – Police Chief Matthew Kunz has introduced eight new officers who have joined the Jackson Police Department. The new officers took the oath of office during April 12 meeting of the Township Council.
Kayla Reale is a 2013 graduate of Jackson Memorial High School. She graduated from Ocean County College in 2015 after studying criminal justice and earned a degree from Kean University in 2017. Reale will attend the Basic Police Class at the Ocean County Police Academy, Lakewood.
Matthew Cilento is a 2014 graduate of Jackson Liberty High School, He is an active member of the U.S. Army Reserve. He graduated from the Special Law Enforcement Officer II class at the Ocean County Police Academy in 2018 and served as an SLEO II with the Point Pleasant Beach Police Department.
Cilento was hired as an SLEO II with the Jackson Police Department in March 2019 and has served in that position until being appointed as a full-time officer. Cilento will attend the waiver class at the Ocean County Police Academy to obtain his full police certification.
David DeJesus is a 2017 graduate of Jackson Memorial High School. He attended Towson University and Kean University. He graduated from the SLEO II class at the Ocean County Police Academy in 2020 and served as a SLEO II with the Point Pleasant Beach Police Department and the Lambertville Police Department before being hired as a SLEO II with the Jackson Police Department in March 2021. He has served in that position until being appointed as a full-time officer. DeJesus will attend the waiver class at the Ocean County Police Academy to obtain his full police certification.
Michael Zakis is a 2016 graduate of Jackson Liberty High School. He graduated from Stockton University in 2020 with a degree in criminal justice. He graduated from the SLEO I class at the Monmouth County Police Academy, Freehold Township, in 2019 and from the SLEO II class at the Monmouth County Police Academy in 2021.
Zakis worked as an SLEO I and an SLEO II with the Deal Police Department until being hired by Jackson. Zakis will attend the waiver class at the Ocean County Police Academy to obtain his full police certification.
Riley Fahnholz is a 2019 graduate of Jackson Liberty High School. He graduated from Ocean County College in 2021 with a degree in applied science. Fahnholz will attend the Basic Police Class at the Ocean County Police Academy.
The following officers were hired through a state approved process that offers a civil service exam exemption for current police officers who have successfully completed police academy training as approved by the New Jersey Police Training Commission.
This process allows agencies in New Jersey to consider hiring police officers who are already trained and experienced for selection, according to municipal officials.
Kenneth Egan is a 2005 graduate of Manchester Township High School and attended Ocean County College. He graduated from the SLEO II class at the Ocean County Police Academy in 2008 and served as a SLEO II for the Seaside Park Police Department and the Asbury Park Police Department.
Egan graduated from the Camden County Police Academy in 2014 and has served as a police officer with the Camden County Police Department since that time. His most recent assignment with the Detective Bureau was as a member of the Shooting Response Team.
After completing in-service training, Egan will enter the field training program and then be assigned to a patrol squad, according to Jackson police.
Anthony Ringle is a 2003 graduate of Lacey Township High School. He then attended Delaware Valley College and Ocean County College.
Ringle graduated from the Basic Police Class at the Ocean County Police Academy in 2006 and worked as an SLEO I and an SLEO II with the Seaside Heights Police Department before being hired as a full-time officer with the Island Heights Police Department in 2007.
In 2016 he was hired as a full-time police officer with the Plumsted Police Department and his most recent assignment was as a detective. After completing in-service training, Ringle will enter the field training program and then be assigned to a patrol squad, according to Jackson police.
Zachery Rodina is a 2008 graduate of Brick Township High School. He then attended Ocean County Vocational School.
He graduated from the SLEO II class at the Ocean County Police Academy in 2018 and from the Basic Waiver Class at the Ocean County Police Academy in 2019 where he received his full police certification.
Rodina worked as an SLEO II for the Point Pleasant Beach Police Department from 2017-18 and as an SLEO II for the Howell Police Department from 2018-19.
He was hired as a full-time police officer with the Pemberton Police Department in 2019 and then by the Eastampton Township Police Department in 2020 where he served as a patrol officer until being hired by Jackson.
After completing in-service training, Rodina will enter the field training program and then be assigned to a patrol squad, according to Jackson police.
Kunz thanked Mayor Michael Reina, council members and the township administration for “your proactive commitment to not only replace retiring officers, but in growing the department to serve the growing township, which is seeing an increase in building and residents. With the addition of these new hires, the department has 110 police officers to serve the 100-square-mile township.”