$300K Allocated By Chester Council For Police, Facility Improvements

CHESTER, NJ — The Chester Township Mayor and Council recently approved approximately $310,000 in purchases for new police cars and facility upgrades for the township.

The ordinance, which was first introduced during the July 18 township council meeting, was voted on and adopted during last week's meeting, which was held on Aug. 1.

The unanimously adopted ordinance allows for the appropriation of funds from the township's capital improvement fund.

While the township estimates that the purchase of two new police vehicles will end up costing around $160,000, the ordinance also allocates funds toward the improvement of municipally owned buildings.

The selected buildings include, but are not limited to, the municipal building, police department headquarters, and the Department of Public Works facility. Facility upgrades to the township police building will include new carpeting and lockers.

Those renovations are anticipated to cost approximately $150,000, the township said.

During the June 20 council meeting, Chief Ryan McNamee spoke before the public, outlining the needs of the police department and fielding questions from the council.

Twenty-three officers are currently assigned to the Chester Police Department, which protects the residents of Chester Township and Chester Borough. McNamee serves as the department's commanding officer, having been sworn in last October following the retirement of Tom Williver.

Also, during the Aug. 1 meeting, a new officer was sworn into the Chester Police Department. The hiring of Michael O’Mealy serves as the most recent change for the Chester Police Department, which has seen a flurry of retirements, promotions, and the hiring of new patrol officers in recent months.

O’Mealy was hired as a full-time officer effective Aug. 1.