Absecon council swears in six new police officers as chief urges public support

The Absecon City Council formally welcomed and swore in six new police officers at its regular meeting, with the police chief urging residents to support officers who face intense day-to-day demands.

The chief told the council and public that "policing in 2025 is grounded in moral correctness" and emphasized prevention and compassion, saying officers "meet people at their worst moments" and must approach interactions with training and resilience. He described modern expectations of officers as broad — including mental-health, medical and practical problem-solving roles — and asked residents to "thank them" rather than judge them.

Why it matters: The council framed the recruitments as a response to local staffing needs and credited a federal COPS grant that helped make mass hiring possible. Mayor/Presiding Official said the council had committed to hire as many police officers as needed and noted the community benefit of restoring local capacity on patrol.

Details: The chief introduced each recruit with a short biography and the standard oath was administered. The new officers named in the record are Stanley Marzak, Braden Melendez, Scott McConnell, Barry Walker, Nicholas Brown and Joseph Ritzler. The chief described academy and field-training timelines (academy class, graduation in July, completion of field training in November) and noted family members pinned badges or held the bible during the ceremony.

The chief also said recruiting has been difficult but praised the work of department supervisors and staff, including a recently retired lieutenant who helped secure grant funding. Council members and other officials offered congratulations and urged the recruits to stay safe on patrol.

What’s next: The hires increase Absecon’s patrol capacity; no additional formal actions were required at this meeting beyond the pinning and oath ceremony. The council moved on to routine business after the presentations.