Hello Everyone,

Last night I announced, during the Township Committee Meeting, my impending retirement from the Police Department, which will be effective March 29, 2019, days end. At that time, Lt. Robert D. Hess will assume Operational and Administrative Command of the Police Department. (Please forgive my long post, but I wanted to say thank you to a bunch of people!)

On April 02, 2019, at the beginning of the Township Committee Meeting, 7:00pm, I will be giving the Oath of Office to three officers who will be receiving promotions. Lt. Robert D. Hess will be promoted to the position of Chief of Police, Sgt. Michael Unley will be promoted to the position of Lieutenant, and Ptl. David Meenan will be promoted to Sergeant. Congratulations to these fine officers. I know that our Police Department is in very good hands under the Command of these officers and our other fine Supervisors, Lt. Brett Evans, Sgt. Mark Herkoperec, and Det. Sgt. John Harris. It was also an honor to serve as Police Chief and follow in the footsteps of Chief Henry Van Brunt, Chief Joseph Baranowski, Chief Anthony Francisco, Director Charles Niedbalski, and Chief Robert Brian. I hope that I made them proud!

I wanted to also thank my Department Officers for their Support, Love, and Friendship during my tenure as a Police Officer and especially when I held the position as Chief of Police. We have outstanding Police Officers who care deeply about their jobs and about the residents of Edgewater Park Township whom we all see as our extended family! My thanks also to Township Committee for their unwavering support and to all of the other Township Employees! I must also thank my family for their understanding and support during my tenure as a Police Officer and Chief. Missing holidays, family events, etc., was not easy, but they never stopped supporting me. Thank you to my wife, Lauren, and two amazing Step Daughters Emma and Maddie for being so understanding and supportive, to my Mom, Sister, and her family for their support during my entire life!

Thank you to our neighboring Police agencies for their mutual aid and assistance. Thank you also to our fantastic volunteers/member of the Beverly Fire Department who volunteer to keep us all safe and risk their lives to protect us from fire and accident. Also to Chief Ekelburg and the Endeavor Emergency Squad for their response to those having medical emergencies. We are lucky to have both of these amazing organizations serving us! Thank you to Burlington County Central Communications Dispatchers and Staff for their constant vigilance and care for us when we are responding to calls. Also thank you to the NJ State Chiefs of Police, Burlington County Police Chiefs Association, Burlington County Lodge #2, and the Burlington County Prosecutors Office for their unwavering support and assistance as well.

I also want to especially thank the Edgewater Park School Superintendent, School Board, Principals, Staff, and Students for allowing me to spend over 21 years in the schools teaching DARE/LEAD. It is truly one of the things that I am most proud of and was the most rewarding personally and professionally.

Finally, thank you to my Friends and Family, the Residents of Edgewater Park Township. It was a true honor to serve you all as a Police Officer since January of 1995. As a lifelong resident I know so many of you personally and have met so many kind, amazing, supportive people during my tenure. I hope that I made each and every one of you feel safer knowing you had my officers and myself, who would give everything to protect you and keep you safe! I cannot thank you enough for your love and support and I truly love and thank each and every one of you. Thank you also for allowing me to have this job in order to provide a living for myself and my family. I've never taken the fact that you paid my salary with your taxes and always remembered that in every effort I have made as an officer. I have so many people to thank, so please forgive me if I missed anyone!!

I wish you all the very best! Take care of yourselves and each other! Please continue to give Chief Robert Hess and his officers your support as you have given me over these years! For those that have inquired, I will be having a retirement get together in May/June. The information will be posted on the Township Website and Police Facebook Page in the near future. Again, my thanks and love to everyone!

-Chief Gene J. Di Filippo