Barnegat, Stafford, Spring Lake Police Chiefs elected, move up in NJSACOP roles

Three Jersey Shore police chiefs who continue to excel in leadership roles in their community as well as in Ocean and Monmouth Counties, respectively, are now also helping with policing discussions and efforts statewide as part of the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police.

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Sayreville Police Chief John Zebrowski will be the NJSACOP’s new president in 2021 and following him on the board will be Stafford Police Chief Tom Dellane as Vice President; Spring Lake Police Chief Edward M. Kerr, Jr., as 2nd Vice President, Rutherford Police Chief John R. Russo as 3rd Vice President and Barnegat Police Chief Keith Germain as 4th Vice President, according to a statement from the NJSACOP.

Chief Dellane and Chief Kerr have been on the board for years but now have new roles.

“It’s an honor to accept this significant leadership role in our Chiefs of Police Association. I am eager to continue working with NJSACOP’s executive board and professional team as we position our Association as a national leader on innovative and progressive law enforcement practices,” Chief Germain said in a statement, provided to Townsquare Media News by Jaffe Communications. “My initial focus is to do my best work; to contribute my effort and energy to support our incoming president and the experienced members of our executive board.”

The group will help make decisions for law enforcement on work on ways to improve what they do and build on what works as well across the state.

It's in a way a statewide representation of what is available at the local level, with the Ocean County Association of Chiefs of Police and Monmouth County Association of Chiefs of Police.

The 2020 President of the OCACOP, Harvey Cedars Police Chief Robert Burnaford, broke down what the organization does for policing efforts in the community.

As President, Chief Burnaford explained in a previous interview with Townsquare Media News, that it gave him "the opportunity to work with the other agencies here in Ocean County and typically we'll have some of our private partners reach out when they're not sure where in the county to go to, it kind of all funnels to the president and I can kind of be able to pass that off. It's been such an honor to work with all the Chiefs. I'm very happy to be in this role and do anything I can to better the association and more importantly, the general public."

In 2021, the President of the Ocean County Association of Chiefs of Police is Point Pleasant Beach Police Chief Joseph Michigan and the President of the Monmouth County Association of Chiefs of Police is Howell Police Chief Andrew Kudrick.

Chief Germain graduated in late 2019 from the 278th Session of the FBI National Academy in Virginia and it's helped shape new

"It's the experience of a lifetime to be in the company of some really amazing leaders who have some spectacular accomplishments over the course of their career," Chief Germain previously told Townsquare Media News. "You learn both through the formal classroom structure but really, especially, in those informal times when you're discussing different cases and experiences...it just gives you access to a vast wealth of experience and knowledge."

One of the requirements and safety standards Chief Dellane asks of incoming and present officers in Stafford is to be physically fit, for their safety and the communities as well.

"We have an exceptionally high fitness requirement in Stafford and that is for a reason. There have been a number of studies conducted from people in jail as to when they choose to engage and fight their way out of an arrest with police and the recurring theme that keeps coming up is command presence, it's your appearance and how you carry yourself, whether you look like your physically fit or can get into a foot race with that person and be able to keep up," Chief Dellane previously told Townsquare Media News. "If the person thinks that they can physically overcome you, that leads to more assaults on police and that's been documented over time."

You can learn more about Chief Germain and Chief Dellane in the videos below: