COUNCIL , from Page 1 have expounded upon the new law that we have accepted with our ordinance to be able to hire alreadycertified officers ,” Friel said .
That ordinance , Ordinance No . 009-2021 , amending Chapter 51 of the general ordinances of the town of Hammonton to add section 51-2 ( C ) allowing an exemption from civil service examination , was adopted and published on June 28 .
One Sindoni Lane , Suite C , Hammonton ( 609 ) 270-7886 • www . meadowsbridalshop . com
“ That actually puts us leaps and bounds ahead of where we would normally be . Instead of waiting for officers to be hired off the civil service list , go to the academy , be trained , come out and then start with field training , we have sped up the process by looking for officers that are already certified ,” Friel said .
Friel said that the department has found three officers “ that would fit that bill .”
Now carrying Blush by Hayley Paige and Maggie Sottero
We carry gorgeous dresses by : Hayley Paige , Maggie Sottero Casablanca , Mori Lee , and so much more !
“ One , helping to backfill some experience that we have lost in our department due to officers going to other agencies in prior years , and two that are like ready-made starter kids ; we ’ re picking them up right as they are graduating the academy , which has saved our community at least 21 weeks of waiting for them to go through an academy ,” Friel said . Friel then described the three candidates to council .
“ The first one would be a gentleman who has 12 years of military experience and is currently in Atlantic County ’ s police academy , which is one of the two state hybrid academies — which would be applicable to this law ; the law states that anyone who has attended a basic police officer hybrid academy is eligible to be hired under this new law ... his name is Matthew Hiser ,” Friel said , noting that Hiser was set to graduate the academy on October
Wednesday , November 3 , 2021 • The Hammonton Gazette • Page 3
Hamm . Police Dept , welcomes three new police officers
28 . The second candidate was Harry Valentin , whom Friel said “ will be certainly a great attribute to our community , as we have had a few of our Hispanic officers retire in the past .”
“ This gentleman is also in the current basic police academy for Atlantic County hybrid academy . He also was a police officer in New York City before coming here to the town of Hammonton to be with his mother . Both his mother and father were detectives in the New York City Police Department , but unfortunately his father succumbed to an illness — 9 / 11 illness — and passed away , so he wanted to come here to support his mom ,” Friel said .
Friel said that these two individuals would be hired at Step 2 , which starts at $ 43,600 annually .
Friel said that the third individual , Richard Brown — who was in the audience during the council meeting — has “ military experience and over eight years of police experience , currently working in the city of Egg Harbor .”
“ He has certifications and attributes that will help our police department . He is SWAT certified . He is a firearms instructor . He ’ s RADAR certified . He ’ s been through detective training , so another gentleman who would certainly increase what the capabilities of our police department has ,” Friel said , noting that Brown would be hired at Step 9 — because of his experience and certifications — at $ 63,400 annually . Friel said that these hires are coming ahead of the retirements of three officers . Both Lt . Edward Slimm and Cpl . Richard Jones will be retiring effective January 1 , 2022 , and Sgt . Christopher Clements will be retiring effective February 1 , 2022 .
“ We want to be proactive not to leave our community behind in what police service that they deserve and that they should have . We want to make sure that we have officers prepared and ready , out there on the streets , so that we ’ re not left shorthanded . Unfortunately , in the condition that we ’ ve been in through the COVID pandemic and through military deployments , we ’ ve been , at times — and I hate to say this — almost one-third of our staffing off of the roster not out there to help and protect the public ,” Friel said .
Mayor Stephen DiDonato said that , until the retirements , the hiring of the three officers will bring the total number of police officers to 35 .
“ Ultimately , we want to maintain 34 . I sat in the interviews of the three gentlemen that the chief is recommending , and I was blown away . All three were
hammontongazette . com See MEETING , Page 12
DiMeglio Septic , Inc .
Est . 1975 ~ DEP 03261 ~ Paul DiMeglio 1 ( 800 ) 427-4617 ~ 561-1007 ~ 561-3597
491 White Horse Pike • Ancora , NJ
• Grease Trap Cleaning • Portable Toilets
• Septic Certifications • Jetting Service
CUSTOM ENGAGEMENT RINGS & WEDDING BANDS REPAIRS COMPLETED ON PREMISES
121 S . White Horse Pike Across from McDonald ’ s Hammonton • 609-561-6222