Three Veteran Police Officers Promoted

Surrounded by family, friends and colleagues at the East Brunswick Cultural Center on Thursday, the East Brunswick Police Department promoted three of its veteran officers to new ranks and positions.

Daniel Melnick, a 20-year veteran with the East Brunswick Police Department has been promoted to the rank of Captain, according to a press release from the police department.

Joseph Alves, a 19-year veteran of the department has been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant.

Drew Walsh, a 15-year veteran of the department has been promoted to the rank of Sergeant.

Melnick began with the East Brunswick Police Department in 1993 as a patrolman, working in the Investigative Division and being promoted to Sergeant in 2004. In 2010, he was promoted to Lieutenant and in 2011, served as assistant division commander for the Administrative and Investigative Divisions, according to the release.

He will now be assigned to the Operations Division as Division Commander.

Melnick has served on the department's SWAT team for 14 years, serving as commander for the past three years, the release said.

Melnick has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Administration of Justice from Rutgers University and a Masters of Arts degree in Education Administration from Seton Hall University, according to the release.

In the fall of 2012, he graduated from the FBI National Academy.

Alves entered police work as an officer with the Somerville Police Department in 1993, according to the release.

He joined the East Brunswick Police Department in 1994 and has worked in the Patrol Section, Investigative Division's Anti-Crime Unit and the Detective Bureau. He also served as a member of the department's SWAT team for eight years.

He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in February 2010.

Alves will be assigned to the Operations Division where he will serve as a Station Commander.

He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts from Rowan University and a Masters of Arts degree in Education Administration from Seton Hall University, the release said.

Walsh began as a patrolman in 1998 with the East Brunswick Police Department. In 2011, he was transferred to the Project 18 Community Policing Unit in the Administrative Division, and has served as a Field Training Officer, the release said.

He will be assigned to the position of Squad Supervisor with the Operations Division.