Two Lieutenants Promoted to Captain of Manalapan Police Dept.

The got two new Captains last night as the Township Committee approved two resolutions promoting Lt. Michael Fountain and Lt. Jeff Morrell to the rank of Captain. The vote to promote Morrell was not unanimous, however, as Committeeman Ryan Green felt that a second Captain was unnecessary and not financially prudent.

“I want to see taxpayer dollars go towards patrol officer who are on the street, keeping Manalapan residents safe; not toward high-paid administrators who spend their days behind a desk in the police station,” Green said at last night’s meeting.

Green cited that with a Captain’s salary, their annual longevity payment of over $10,000 and $1,500 mandatory uniform payment, the town spends $156,000 for each appointed captain, which may rise as a new contract for 2012 is currently being negotiated.

Committeeman Jordan Maskowitz, the Public Safety liaison and a New Jersey State police officer for over 25 years, disagreed with Green’s sentiment that a second Captain is inessential.

“In any power military organization rank structure is paramount to the success of the department,” Maskowitz said. The police department has cut the administrators over the years from 17, at one point, to nine currently, Maskowitz explained. “So, we’ve done our part and they’ve accepted it and they’ve worked with less.” 

Maskowitz went on to say that in his experience in the state police one of the main issues that repeatedly arose was a lack of supervision, so the addition of a second Captain is a move in the right direction and "key for the success of our department.”

Green voted “no” for the resolution promoting Morrell to Captain; the rest of the Township Committee voted “yes”. Fountain’s promotion to Captain is effective on July 16 and Morrell’s promotion to Captain is effective on Aug. 8.