South Plainfield council hires three officers, promotes five and swears them in

South Plainfield Borough Council on Dec. 16 approved the hiring of three full‑time police officers and the promotion of five officers, swearing in the new hires and reading extended biographical summaries for promoted personnel.

The council passed Resolution 24‑363 to hire Ryan McHugh, Tiffany Parajon (listed in the agenda as Parjan/Parajon) and Brett Torre (transcript variants include Toure/Tory). The measure was moved and seconded and carried on a roll-call vote called by the borough clerk. The mayor read the names and brief résumés before each new officer was sworn in; family members were invited forward for photographs and congratulations.

The body then approved Resolution 24‑364 promoting Christopher Colucci to captain, Michael Grasso (appears in places as Grasso/Grosso) to lieutenant, Peter Magnani to lieutenant, Lauren Perry to sergeant and Shane McCoy to sergeant. The promotions were read aloud, noting years of service, unit assignments and awards; the roll call on the promotions passed as recorded by the clerk.

“You're joining the finest police department in the state of New Jersey,” the mayor told the officers during the ceremony, offering advice to learn from senior members and stressing the borough’s support. Council President Benjovanga described the evening as “a busy night…a joyful night” that celebrated both hires and internal advancement.

The council highlighted a milestone in the promotions: according to the remarks read into the record, Lauren Perry will be the first female sergeant in the history of the South Plainfield Police Department. That detail was part of the biographical introduction read during the promotion sequence.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution 24‑363 (hiring of Ryan McHugh, Tiffany Parajon, Brett Torre): motion moved and seconded; roll-call votes recorded and clerk announced passage. - Resolution 24‑364 (promotions of Colucci, Grasso, Magnani, Perry, McCoy): motion moved and seconded; roll-call votes recorded and clerk announced passage. - Approval of council minutes, Dec. 2 (public and executive): motion passed with one member recorded as abstaining because he was absent from that meeting; clerk recorded the motion as passing.

Other business on the agenda included two ordinances listed for addition and a wire transfer noted in the agenda review for $4,869,587.35, bringing the evening’s total payment bills to $5,916,304.30; those items were announced by the clerk as part of the agenda review but were not the subject of extended debate during the ceremony portion of the meeting.

The council recessed briefly after the swearing-in for photographs and closed the meeting with seasonal remarks and gratitude to the officers and their families.