Westfield Police Start New Year With Promotions

WESTFIELD, NJ — The Westfield Police Department rang in 2026 by honoring two of its officers' contributions to the force and promoted them to new roles.

Detective Sergeant Thomas Ostrander earned the rank of Lieutenant of Police, and Plainclothes Officer John Swiderski earned the title of Sergeant. Both of the promotions went into effect on Jan. 1, Chief Christopher Battiloro said.

"Promotions in the Westfield Police Department are determined by a comprehensive evaluative process," Battiloro added. "I congratulate these officers for their outstanding past performance and dedication to duty."

Ostrander began his tenure with the Department in 2002 as a 9-1-1 Police-Fire-EMS Public Safety Telecommunicator before being appointed as an officer on Jan. 21, 2006.

After serving as a sergeant and the supervisor of the Traffic Safety Bureau, he was named Detective Sergeant and supervisor of the Juvenile & Community Policing Bureau in 2024.

Ostrander has earned three Westfield Police Department Life Saving medals, three Command Citation medals, one Unit Citation medal, and the Hurricane Sandy and COVID-19 Exceptional Service medals.

He is also a veteran of the United States Army National Guard and the United States Naval Reserve.

Under his new role, he will work as a Watch Commander under the Patrol Services Bureau.

Swiderski joined the force as an officer in 2012 and was assigned to the Detective Bureau in 2025.

He has earned the Westfield Police Department Medal of Merit, three Command Citation medals, a Unit Citation medal, the COVID-19 Exceptional Service medal, and a Certificate of Merit.

Swiderski was a Correctional Officer with the Union County Department of Corrections prior to joining the Westfield Police Department.

Under his new role, Swiderski was assigned to the Patrol Services Bureau as a field supervisor.

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