Change Of Command: Manchester Police Chief Retiring, New Chief Named

MANCHESTER, NJ — Manchester Township will have a new police chief on May 1, after the Township Council approved the promotion of Police Lt. Antonio Ellis on Monday night.

Ellis will succeed Chief Robert Dolan, who is retiring on April 30 after 31 years of serving Manchester. He also was named to become public safety director, a title Dolan currently holds.

Dolan began his career with the Manchester Township Police Department in 1993 as a dispatcher and was hired as a full-time police officer in 1994. Since then he served in numerous positions, including detective, patrol sergeant, as a lieutenant supervising the Administrative Services Bureau, and as captain overseeing the Division of Emergency Services. He was sworn in as police chief on July 1, 2021, replacing Lisa Parker.

Mayor Robert Arace thanked Dolan for his service as chief, highlighting Dolan's leadership in 2023 when a massive wildfire threatened homes and other buildings in the township four months into Arace's administration.

"Having you to lean on in that moment took a huge burden off my shoulders," Arace said.

Ellis will become the township's eighth chief at a swearing in ceremony set for 8 a.m. on May 1 in the courtroom at the municipal building, 1 Colonial Drive.

Ellis, who has a master's degree in administrative science from Fairleigh Dickinson University, joined the Manchester Township police force in October 2000 and served in the patrol division from 2001-2005, when he was assigned to the Traffic Safety section.

Traffic safety became his focus, and Ellis became an expert in crash investigations and reconstructions, and has continued to serve in that role. Ellis was promoted to sergeant in 2016 and oversaw the Traffic Safety section. He currently is assigned to the Administrative and Support Services Division after being promoted to lieutenant in 2021.

Ellis served as a special agent in the Ocean County Vehicular Homicide Support Team (FAST) for the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office in 2008, and from 2007 until 2016 was a dedicated sniper in the Ocean County Regional SWAT Team.

"I look forward to the opportunity to serve," Ellis said, and thanked Dolan for his support and tutelage in succeeding him as chief.