Five New Police Officers Sworn In At Town Hall
New officers will help replace veteran officers who are retiring
Photos
Police Chief Karin T. DiMichele had some advice for the five new township police officers after they were sworn in at Town Hall - family comes first.
"Well, gentlemen, how do you feel?" she said. "This is the opportunity of a lifetime. I sure hope you generate a bond between each other, but take care of your family first."
The five new officers - all from Berkeley and all graduates of Central Regional High School - underwent intensive psychological testing, background checks and interviews with senior officers in the department before they were selected, DiMichele said.
"We couldn't find anything bad..." she joked. "Do a good job for me."
Mayor Carmen F. Amato Jr. administered the oath of office to each new police department member.
Amato thanked the Township Council for agreeing to hire the five new officers, who will replace veteran officers who are retiring or have already retired.
"They are going to be needed very soon," the mayor said. "I want to make sure we have an smooth transition."
The new officers include:
- Scott Rudolph, 27. Rudolph previously was an emergency management specialist with the Ocean County Health Department. He is a certified Class I and Class II police officer and worked as a seasonal police officer in Seaside Heights. He attended Ocean County College, Palm Beach State College and Florida Atlantic University, where his major was criminal justice.
- Jonathan Mulvihill, 20. He attended East Carolina University before transferring to Ocean County College in 2010.
- Shawn Bowens, 24. Bowens worked as a Class I and Class II police officer in Belmar and a Class II officer and dispatcher in Ocean Township. He graduated from Kean University in 2008 and earned a master's degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2011.
- Taylor Butler, 24. Butler has worked as a lifeguard in Seaside Park since 2004. He attended classes at Rutgers University and Ocean County College.
- Alfred Foca Jr., 19. Foca searved as a Class I police officer in Seaside Park in 2010 and was attending the Ocean County Police Academy for Class II training before being hired in Berkeley. He also attended Ocean County College for a year.
"These are are all fine young men and each one will make an excellent addition to our department," Amato said after the ceremony. Because of prior training, Officer Rudolph and Officer Bowens will receive some additional training within the department and should be on the road pretty quickly."
Butler, Foca and Mulvihill will start the Ocean County Police Academy on Thursday.
"Enjoy the rest of your day," DiMichele joked after the officers were sworn in. "Come Thursday, you are not going to be having fun."
Sgt. James Blair was promoted to lieutenant at the ceremony. Blair now heads the department's traffic safety division.
angel
8:13 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
That's terrific. Now let's hope they can patrol all of south seaside park which is customary for all towns with a police presence rather than sitting in their patrol cars staring westward at the bay or sitting in the parking lot at berkeley seafood behind the bushes.
StayCalm
8:40 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
19 and 20 year old cops? How and why are they being hired *before* attending the police academy? Shouldn't they finish the police academy first- then be hired on somewhere based on how they did there? I don't get it....
EggsnToast
8:21 am on Thursday, February 9, 2012
Maybe it's a "who you know or are related to" situation?
Berkeley Guy
10:28 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Stay calm...... Stay calm
Mattie
2:18 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
I think those are legitimate questions, Berkeley Guy. Why are they hired before going through the academy? How do we know they will make it through? According to a few different websites, NJ Police Academy training is one of the toughest in the nation... and something like 1/4 don't make it to the end.
Berkeley Guy
1:29 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
That's not how it works at all.
Oscar Wilde
1:54 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
looks like if you want to be a cop, all you need to do is enroll at OCC !!!
Oscar Wilde
1:55 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
"Well, gentlemen, how do you feel?" she said. "This is the opportunity of a lifetime. I sure hope you generate a bond between each other, but take care of your family first."
yeah why mention the taxpayers......PROTECT AND SERVE THEMSELVES !
Mark Wendell
9:27 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Best of luck to all the new officers! Stay safe guys.
Hearme
11:08 am on Thursday, February 9, 2012
I believe most if not all these guys were military as well. There is a process and the way it works is the way it is being done. If you don't like it go to the powers at be and lodge your complaint. Or better yet get a petition together. If enough people agree maybe they will make changes. At this time these young men did nothing wrong. They did what they needed to do to get hired and now they are going for the training. Why don't you shock everyone and give them a break and maybe stop complaining for once Oscar Wilde.
I wish all the police officers and their families the best. I hope they stay safe and keep us safe as well. Young is not a bad thing. These guys are all in good shape and seem eager to do a good job. As for the comment about "all they need to do is enroll in OCC" I guess you should try going back to school because you obviously have a problem with reading comprehension.You obviously missed that Masters degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University as well as all the other places of higher learning that were mentioned . Besides there is nothing wrong with them going to OCC if they offer an accredited program in criminal justice which I believe they do. Obviously they have all met the requirements needed for the job. What the hell else do you want from them ? Does anything make you happy or maybe complaining about everything is what makes you happy? If you hate it so much here then why don't you move.You find fault with everyone and everything.
Berkeley Guy
11:48 am on Thursday, February 9, 2012
Egg and toast... Defiantly wrong. Read my comments on the article "5 officers to be sworn in next week" and you'll understand. I'm not explaining that again.
Oscar... Your rediculous. Get a life.
Hear me.... I agree. These men did nothing wrong. And I'm sure will make fine officers. One has a masters and another has a bachelors. What's wrong with that?
John Stoner
9:13 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012
ts a shame that the promotion of Sergeant James Blair to Lieutenant wasn't news worthy. Another fine dedicated officer with twenty plus years of service to BTPD. I hope that these new police officers will display the ethics and morals needed to be a police officer and that they will remain safe throughout their careers. I wish the Chief of Police will step into her leadership roll and display the right stuff soon.
Oscar Wilde
12:32 am on Friday, February 10, 2012
dont hold your breath on that
Hearme
2:40 am on Friday, February 10, 2012
Oscar Wilde, just curious. Have you ever had a positive attitude or said something nice about anyone or anything?I feel sorry for people like you. I would never want to live my life being as miserable as you seem to be.
I do know a few of these young men and I know so far they have proven to be outstanding young men in this community. I know at least some (maybe all) have also been or are still part of the military. I know many young men and women their age would rather be at a frat party while these guys stepped up and joined the service and went to college as well. I feel they have proven they at least deserve a chance to prove that they will be a great asset to our police force. I for one am happy to see such community minded people willing to take a job that doesn't pay nearly what it should to people that are willing to risk their lives for the rest of us.I thank their families for trusting that as a township we will embrace these men and wish them well and do what we can to ensure they have the safest equipment and training so their loved ones will come home every day. I for one don't know how their families do it. I don't think I could sleep at night If it were my child out there,knowing what these guys will have to face and deal with on a job like this.So I say thank you to them all. I just hope that they all know that people like Oscar Wilde or Morrisey or what ever name he might be using is truly the minority in this town.
M'Linda Kula
9:44 pm on Tuesday, April 24, 2012
@ the five new police officers: Good luck in your training, welcome and may GOD keep you safe. The BPD was a wise choice on your part. Remember: A) PROTECT & SERVE is your #1 job. B) Respect is a two way street. C) The community must help keep our HONORABLE police as safe as we expect them to do for us.