And a bit of follow through on this event.
newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2008/0213/Front_page/026.htmlPotential recruits visit police dept. open house
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer
FREEHOLD - Anyone thinking about becoming a police officer had a unique opportunity to access inside information about that career on Jan. 24.
Visitors were invited to the Freehold Borough Police Department headquarters on Jackson Street to participate in the department's first recruitment open house. Those seeking a possible career in law enforcement were welcome to stop in, as was pretty much anyone else who just wanted a peek at what lies behind the steel doors of police headquarters.
The purpose of the event, according to Police Chief Mitchell Roth, was to provide valuable information for people who are considering a career in law enforcement. Visitors had a chance to learn about the New Jersey Department of Personnel Law Enforcement screening and hiring process. They also received information about salaries, benefits and other information about the job of being a police officer.
Roth said the department was "reaching out to the various segments of our community as part of our continuing effort to expand our already diverse workforce. We hope to have all persons of all backgrounds joining us for the evening."
Roth and 18 officers were on hand to welcome guests.
Patrolman Chris Colaner was at the event to show prospective recruits the equipment he uses as head of the borough's Community Response Team. Outfits and equipment that rivaled any accessories one might see in a movie about a SWAT team were lined up and available for inspection.
Sgt. Craig Dispenza was on hand in his capacity as head of the Bicycle Patrol Division. Also in attendance were Patrolman Sean Healey (traffic and safety officer), Patrolman Ronnie Steppat (Drug Abuse Resistance Education officer) and Patrolman Keith Bailey (police youth academy).
Visitors were able to tour the Detective Division and speak with Detective Timothy Jablonski, Detective Michael Giglio and Detective Daniel Heulitt.
Sgt. Andrew DeMuth and Patrolman Mark Garrahan took the lead in offering information about the hiring process.
A tour of the department given by several officers, including Patrolman Edward Loksa, gave guests the inside scoop on the day-to-day work of Freehold's Finest.
A flier that promoted the event summed up how the officers feel about the job they do. The flier asked: "When was the last time you aided a stranger, helped a child, saved a life, made a difference?"
According to Roth, almost 100 people attended the event and many stayed long enough to explore all of the material available and to speak with the officers.
Sgt. Michael Sweetman, Patrolman James Richmond, Patrolman John Reiff, Patrolwoman Wendy Papp, Sgt. Glenn Roberts, Lt. Mark Wodell and Lt. Phillip Ecks were also on hand to discuss the career opportunities.
Elvis Guillermo, 26, of Howell, said he thought the open house was great and said he has wanted to be a police officer for a long time. He appreciated being able to talk with police officers whose knowledge of what the job entails might help him pursue a career.
Philip Pollen, 22, of Matawan, said he majored in biology, explaining, "Being the son of a doctor it seemed the natural thing to do." He added, however, "I love biology, but that's not for me. That's my dad's. Serving the community is important work. I want to be a cop."
Roth said the turnout included many young men in their 20s and even some teenagers and was better than he expected.
"The department felt this open house would be a positive event to make ourselves available to the community to see what we do and what we are about," Roth said. "We explained to them the different units in the department. We want to extend ourselves this way. Make them aware of the hiring process and testing materials and prep course information we have available to help prepare people for the career. This is a perfect opportunity to introduce our community to the police department."-
