Colts Neck swears in two officers as police chief reports reaccreditation progress and falling major crimes

Colts Neck Township confirmed two new officers and heard a police briefing on Jan. 14.

The committee approved Resolution 2026-29 confirming probationary officer Connor McDev and Resolution 2026-30 confirming Special Law Enforcement Officer Anthony Casiano; both were sworn in during the meeting. Family and colleagues attended the ceremony.

Chief Devito told the governing body the department finished a reaccreditation on-site assessment, part of a three-year compliance process, and that final approval is expected in March or April. "It is a lot of work," he said, praising staff who prepared documentation and noting the assessment included a headquarters and evidence-vault review.

The chief presented a three-year incident review (2023—6) showing more than 45,000 incidents in that period but reporting declines in major crimes such as burglaries and motor-vehicle thefts; he attributed improvements to targeted patrols, community reporting, surveillance and lighting. "We're very proactive with what's going on behind the scenes," he said, urging residents to report suspicious activity and not to assume the department is "closed" at any hour.

Devito outlined ongoing and planned community programs: National Night Out, Coffee with a Cop, car-seat-installation checkpoints, a youth academy if enrollment allows, e-bike safety education in schools, and a fraud-prevention seminar for seniors. He emphasized that patrols are a 24-hour operation and encouraged residents to call for any concerns.

Committee members thanked the chief for the accreditation work and asked about staffing projections for new housing developments; the chief said a staffing analysis was done for the largest incoming development and additional assessments will continue as new projects progress.

No committee action beyond the confirmation of hires was taken on policing policy at the meeting.