Six Mid'town police officers sworn in
BY JAMIE ROMM Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN — After six new police officers took their ceremonial oaths on Aug. 4., Mayor Gerard Scharfenberger gave the floor to a man he referred to as the "happiest man in the whole room" — Police Chief Robert Oches.

"I just want to thank the mayor, the Township Committee and the administrators for supporting the police department," Oches said. "We all know this year was a tight budget year. Through a lot of negotiations and looking at the budget, we came up with the funding to hire six new officers."

The police department had six officers retire in the past year.

The six new police officers are Christopher R. Dee, Patrick R. Kerr, Anthony P. Dellatacoma, Savino A. Capilupi, Jason M. Caruso and Bruce R. Allen.

"We made sure that we hired top-quality candidates," Oches said. "I am convinced that these people that we just swore in are going to competently and impartially enforce the laws of this state."

Scharfenberger administered the oaths of office and said he was happy to see the young men join the force.

"I just want to say how proud and pleased I am to have these six young men here," Scharfenberger said. "As many of you know, Middletown was named one of the top 100 places to live and I credit the police department as a major reason for it."

He said that even with a small number on the force, the police get the job done.

"It's a credit because they work under one of the lowest policemen-per-capita in the state," Scharfenberger said. "There are very few officers in a large municipality and they do a fantastic job."

Allen, 22, of Clarksburg, has an associate degree in criminal justice from Brookdale Community College, Lincroft section of Middletown. He is a graduate of Allentown High School, where he played football and served as wrestling team captain in his senior year.

Dee, 29, Englishtown, was previously employed as a Department of Defense police officer and served as a lieutenant at Fort Monmouth since 2002. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1998 to 2006 and was discharged from service at the rank of sergeant/E-5, serving tours of duty in Kosovo and Iraq. He is a graduate of Manalapan High School and has attended Brookdale Community College.

Capilupi, 33, Tinton Falls, is a June 2008 graduate of the Monmouth County Police Academy, Freehold. He is a graduate of Monmouth Regional High School, Tinton Falls, and has a bachelor's degree in the administration of justice and political science from Rutgers University, New Brunswick.

Caruso, 25, graduated first in his class at the Monmouth County Police Academy in June 2008. He was previously employed by Myers Armed Security at Naval Weapons Station Earle, Colts Neck, and Lakehurst Naval Base since 2006. He is a graduate of Howell Township High School and has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Monmouth University, West Long Branch.

Dellatacoma, 35, Hazlet, was previously employed as a police officer for the Maplewood Police Department since 2004. He graduated from the Burlington County Police Academy, Pemberton, in 2004. He is a graduate of St. Joseph's High School, Metuchen, and has an associate degree from St. John's University, N.Y.

Kerr, 29, Matawan, was previously employed as a corrections officerwith theMonmouth County Sheriff's Department, Freehold, since 2007. He served in the U.S. Navy from 2000 to 2004 and was discharged at the rank of E-4. He is a graduate of St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel, and has an associate degree in criminal justice from Brookdale Community College.

Dellatacoma, Capilupi and Caruso will enter directly into the department's 12-week field training program. Dee, Kerr and Allen will undergo Police Academy training and will enter the department's field training program upon graduation.

All six officers will be assigned to the Patrol Division.