New Oceanport Police Officer is Class Leader For Monmouth County Academy Graduates

The Monmouth County Police Academy graduated its largest class ever Thursday with 127 recruits earning their badges.

Christopher Petrillo of Oceanport was the class leader for the 84th recruit class, and received the Merit Award. Petrillo, a former boy scout, firefighter and member of a first aid squad, will work for the Oceanport Police Department. Petrillo also served in the Army for six years and was deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Philippians and Indonesia. He is currently a member of the National Guard, according to NJ.com.

The graduates, who served as police officers and Class II officers, will be dispersed to more than 40 departments within Monmouth, Ocean, Middlesex, Mercer, Burlington and Atlantic Counties, Monmouth County Freeholder Lillian G. Burry said.

“It was really wonderful to see this,” Burry said.

The graduation was held at Brookdale Community College because the academy could not accommodate the large number of graduates, she said.

Burry reflected on a time years ago when the academy was going to close due to a lack of interest and support.

“Well, we changed that and we’re very happy to say that,” she said, adding that the academy will continue to expand in the future. “I’m very pleased with the work Police Academy Director David Morris has done and continues to do.”

Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden said he is confident the graduates, who make up the 84th Basic Course for Police Officers class and 39th Special Law Enforcement Officers Class II, received solid professional training to prevail in their respective communities, according to NJ.com.

Darell Harris, chief of the Pinebrook Fire Company in Tinton Falls, was the class spokesman for the 39th Special Law Enforcement Officers Class II, NJ.com reported. Harris will work at the Belmar Police Department as a Class II officer and will continue as a dispatcher for the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office.