2 Officers Promoted Within Washington Township Police Department

LONG VALLEY, NJ — The Washington Township Committee approved the appointments to promote two police officers at its meeting on Wednesday, the officers taking their oaths of office during the meeting.

The Township Committee adopted a resolution to appoint Derek Heymer from patrol officer to corporal and Roger Garrison from corporal to sergeant.

Heymer joined the department in 2013, according to information the police department provided to Patch through Lt. Mark Niemynski, a spokesperson for Washington Township Police Department.

From January 2013 until December 2018, Heymer worked as a patrol officer, before heading to the detective bureau between January 2019 and December 2021. He returned to the department’s patrol division in January.

Heymer has held certification as a field training officer since 2018. He has been an honor guard member since 2013 and became its coordinator in 2021. Heymer became a part of the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Crash Team in 2018. In 2017, he began serving as an emergency medical technician (EMT) and since 2018, as a CPR instructor.

He has received several awards with the department, including one chief’s achievement award, three life saving awards, one exceptional duty award, two grand cordon awards and an award from Mother’s Against Drunk Driving in 2016.

Garrison joined the police department in June 2005 after graduating from the Morris County Police Academy.

He has been an EMT since 2005 and is an EMT training liaison. Since 2009, Garrison has been a field training officer with the department. He also serves with the department as an honor guard.

Garrison was promoted to corporal in 2016 and worked in the department’s detective bureau from 2016 through 2018.

His educational background consists of an associate’s degree in criminal justice earned in 2014 from the County College of Morris. Garrison received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Centenary University in 2016 and 2020, his bachelor’s in criminal justice and master’s in leadership and public administration.

While with the department, Garrison has received five life saving awards, three unit citations, three grand cordon awards, one honorable service award and one chief’s achievement award.

Washington Township Mayor Matt Murello recognized Heymer and Garrison’s promotions after the meeting, in the post below:

Questions or comments about this story? Have a news tip? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.