Police Academy Graduates Celebrated In Ocean County

LAKEWOOD, NJ — The Ocean County Police Academy graduated 47 new police officers earlier this month in a ceremony at Georgian Court University, following five months of intensive training.

"During the last five months you spent at the Ocean County Police Academy, you learned not only the skills to become a police officer but you became part of a law enforcement family that works hard, day in and day out, to protect our neighborhoods, our communities, our county and beyond," said Gary Quinn, deputy director of the Ocean County Board of Commissioners Gary Quinn, liaison to the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office.

"I want you to know that the Ocean County Board of Commissioners has the ultimate respect for what you do each and every day," said Quinn, who was joined by Commissioners Virginia E. Haines and Frank Sadeghi, Ocean County Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy, and a host of representatives from police departments and law enforcement agencies across Ocean County and beyond. "We know you will continue to make our communities, our county, a great and especially, a safe, place to live and visit."

Dr. Caesar DePaco was the guest speaker and was honored by the Police Academy for a substantial donation that is being used to enhance the academy’s training program, specifically to acquire specialized equipment for its physical fitness and defensive tactics training program. The equipment will directly benefit more than 300 law enforcement trainees each year, county officials said.

In addition to honoring the graduates, there were awards presented to members of class:

• James J. Tracey Leadership Award, Matthew W. Wright, Seaside Heights Police Department;
• PTC Merit Award, Maurice V. Willis Jr., Long Branch Police Department;
• High Academic Award, Sean J. Hirtes, Toms River Township Police Department;
• High Overall Award and High Physical Fitness Award, Conner R. Ferino, Point Pleasant Beach Police Department;
• High Marksmanship Award, Keith L. Otten, Long Branch Police Department;
• Perfect Score Awards, Jonathon Buss, Andrew Caola, Sean Hirtes, Hunter MacDonald, Andrew McCarthy, Keith Otten, Jake Piantanida, Jesse Polozzo, Christopher Rouh.

Patrolman Christopher Linnell, Seaside Heights Police Department, was awarded the Academy Instructor Award by Sheriff Michael Mastronardy.

The graduates and their respective police departments are:

• Asbury Park Police Department: Kevin A. Gutierrez;
• Bay Head Police Department: Matthew R. Sulzer;
• Brick Township Police Department: Michael P. Delaney;
• Clinton Police Department: Max R. Wendling;
• Jackson Township Police Department: Peter M. Lauria and Cole M. Olejarz;
• Keansburg Police Department: Keith L. Otten and Maurice V. Willis Jr.;
• Lakewood Police Department: Alexander Lopez;
• Long Branch Police Department: Hunter L. MacDonald;
• Point Pleasant Beach Police Department: Kevin D. Cusanelli, Conner R. Ferino, Bailey J. Ferrugia, John P. Nista, Jr., Trey A. Rivera, Steven G. Santangelo, Michael A. Traina Jr., and Sean M. Zukowitz;
• Seaside Heights Police Department: Hader Abbas, Grace J. Beebe, Christopher L. Bier, Andrew J. Caola, Aiden J. Cosentino, Matthew L. Crespi, Zachary T. DeMetro, Ryan M. Emmetts, Brandon C. Giuliano, Logan P. Jaramillo, Anthony T. Koletis, Evan M. Langan, Tyler C. Machnik, Andrew K. McCarthy, Christopher N. Meyers, Anthony J. Syarto, Matthew W. Wright;
• Seaside Park Police Department: Jonathon G. Buss, Jake A. Piantanida and Sean M. Williams;
• Toms River Police Department: Sean J. Hirtes;
• Trenton Police Department: Jovanni A. Romero, Christopher J. Rouh and Livingston Vargas-Pena;
• Wall Township Police Department: Daniel M. Grothues;
• Ocean County Sheriff’s Office: Andrew J. Castle, Jaquan Z. Edwards, Jesse J. Polozzo and Raymond J. Smith IV.