South Whitehall board appoints Frank J.C. Lombardo as police chief

The South Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on March 5 to appoint Frank J.C. Lombardo as the township’s next police chief, the board said. The resolution approving the appointment passed 5–0.

The appointment follows an executive search conducted with Aspirant Consulting Group. Township Manager Tom Petrucci told the board the recruitment drew 40 applicants and recommended Lombardo after interviews and vetting. Lombardo was described by staff as a graduate of the FBI National Academy with degrees from Rutgers University and George Washington University and nearly three decades of law-enforcement experience, primarily with the South Brunswick Police Department.

Board members thanked interim Chief Steve Brown for his service during the transition and spoke in support of the appointment. A commissioner said selecting a chief is “one of the most critical and impactful decisions” the board makes and praised Lombardo’s leadership, education and community focus.

Lombardo, who addressed the board after the vote, said he will prioritize transparency, public engagement and fiscal responsibility. “From our earliest beginnings, we’ve derived our authority from the people we serve — in other words, policing by consent,” he said. He also said officer safety and wellness would be a centerpiece of his tenure and pledged to work with staff to provide training, equipment and support.

The appointment is subject to a conditional offer of employment and related pre-employment steps; the board did not discuss those conditions in detail at the meeting. The board took the vote after a public-comment period during which no members of the public addressed the appointment item.