Santucci Named New Deputy Chief In Berkeley, More Promotions Made

BERKELEY TOWNSHIP, NJ - Township officials have revived the position of deputy police chief and appointed Captain Kevin Santucci to the position.

"We have been very short-staffed in administration in the police department," Mayor Carmen F. Amato Jr. said. "We held off as long as we could because of the impact of Superstorm Sandy and other issues. The police department is a quasi-military organization and it was time to fill those administrative positions."

Santucci, 40, has been with the department over 16 years. His new salary is $172,500.

"One of the reasons Kevin was promoted to this position is to add long-term leadership stability to the department and his captain’s position will not be immediately filled," Township Administrator John Camera said.

Township officials decided to hold a special meeting just for the promotions and the swearing-in of the new officers, Camera said.

"When there are several people to be sworn in we typically do not do them at a regular council meeting, we try to give them a special night," he said. "Between the promotions and all the new hires, the officers' friends and family members filled the meeting room."

Santucci recently graduated from the New Jersey Chiefs of Police Association's Command and Leadership Academy. Candidates selected for the highly competitive class come from all areas of the state, Amato said.

The deputy chief position was eliminated back in 2009, when Democratic Mayor Jason J. Varano was in office and Democrats had control of the seven-member Township Council. He appointed current Chief Karin T. DiMichele in August of 2011. DiMichele had come in first in the state on the Civil Service exam for police chief, had 16 years experience with the department and a master's degree in criminal justice

Shortly before DiMichele's appointment, Republican members of the then-Township Council - Township Council President Karen Davis and Councilman Carmen F. Amato Jr. - said they had not had enough input in the selection.

Republican council members introduced an ordinance in July 2011 that would have given them more input into appointments and the right to reject candidates the township administration had chosen.

In November 2013, Township Council members revived the title of deputy police chief and named retiring Capt. Richard Casagrand, purely to honor him for his years of service, they said, until he retired in December 2013. He received no additional pay or benefits for the new position.

The deputy chief position has been vacant ever since then.

The other recent promotions include:

* Peter La Rocca, Brian Woermer, Henry Ganska and George Dohn were promoted to the position of lieutenant.

* John Houghkirk, Clark Baranyay, Jerry Bacon and Michael Connell were promoted to the position of sergeant.

"These promotions fill critical voids in the department structure and enhance the overall effectiveness of the department, which now includes the EMS service and Special Police officer program," Amato said.

The department's workload has increased over the years, with additional responsibilities like the introduction of Berkeley Emergency Medical Services and the Office of Emergency Management, the mayor said.

Photo: Patricia A. Miller