Monroe Township Council adopts ordinance increasing lieutenant positions and tightening police qualifications

Monroe Township Council unanimously adopted an ordinance on Nov. 6 amending Chapter 3 and Chapter 79 of the township code to increase the number of police lieutenants and to update required qualifications for the ranks of captain and lieutenant.

The ordinance, identified in the meeting as Ordinance 010 2024-25 (second reading), was presented in a public hearing with no members of the public speaking on the measure. Council President Miriam Cohen called for a motion to adopt; on the roll call Councilman Charles deiro, Councilman Michael marel and Councilwoman Seagull voted yes and the ordinance carried 4–0.

Council members did not debate the substance at length during the meeting; the ordinance package as read amends personnel and qualification text in the police-department rules and increases lieutenant positions from six (as stated in the ordinance reading) to the newly authorized level in the revised code. The ordinance reading noted updates to the required qualifications for promotion to captain and lieutenant, though the meeting transcript did not include the full text of those qualification changes.

The ordinance will be codified in the township code and takes the next administrative steps for implementation; council did not set an implementation date during the meeting. The clerk read required notice and the public hearing record before the vote.

The council also handled other business on the agenda, including first reading of a separate ordinance accepting a right-of-way dedication on Union Hill Road and several consent items.