For five men, the honor of being a police officer is right around the corner.

Newest Members of Brick Township Police Department (Brick Township PD)
Newest Members of Brick Township Police Department (Brick Township PD)
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Michael DeMaio and Daniel Testa of Elizabeth, Jeffrey Melia and Michael Dinnebil of Lakewood, and Michael Zolezi Jr. of Brick, were sworn in as probationary police officers at the Brick Township Municipal Courtroom on Tuesday.

After DeMaio, 30, graduated from Brick Township High School in 2002, he decided to attend Ocean County College, Rutgers University, and Kean University towards an associates degree in the Arts.

His next step in life was definitely not as close to home.

DeMaio served in the Marine Corps and was deployed to Iraq in 2005. He received an honorable discharge a year later.

Testa, 33, graduated from Arthur L. Johnson Regional High School in Clark in 1999.

He, too, was deployed to Iraq when he became a defender of the Army National Guard in 2003. He received honorable discharge in 2009.

Before receiving the opportunity to work for Brick Township, Testa worked for T-Mobile U.S.A. as a Network Operations Technician.

When he is not protecting his country or local community, Testa is home with his wife, Karina, and his two sons, Matthew, 6, and Daniel, 4.

Melia, 25, also graduated from the home of Brick Township dragons.

He had to say good bye to his friends and loved ones when he served in Afghanistan in 2011 after enlisting in the Marine Corp. He received honorable discharge in 2013.

Melia's employment history definitely shows his passion to protect others.

After serving his country, Melia decided to work as a security guard for Jenkinson's Pavilion in Point Pleasant Beach, and now he is focused on becoming a police officer.

Dinnebil, 29, graduated from Toms River High School North, and decided to attend Osprey territory...Richard Stockton College.

He worked in Point Pleasant, as an Assistant Manager at Jenkinson's South, and later trained to become a Special Class II Police Officer in Seaside Heights from 2009 to 2013.

Zolezi, 21, graduated Manchester Township High School in 2011 and continued on to Brookdale Community College.

Like Dinnebil, Zolezi also spent some time working for the Seaside Heights Police Department as a Class II Special Officer, as well as the Lavallette Police Department as a Class I Special Officer from 2012 to 2013.

All of these men have an obvious pride to protect fellow citizens, whether on domestic or foreign soil.

The next step towards their goal is to attend the Ocean County Police Academy from Aug. 4 to Jan. 13.

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