West Long Branch council introduces amendment to police hiring rules to broaden applicant pool

The Mayor and Council of the Borough of West Long Branch introduced an amendment to the borough's police hiring qualifications on July 22, 2026, proposing that candidates who hold a PTC Class A or Class II certification or who are enrolled in a PTC Class A/II academy be eligible for appointment in lieu of the current 60-college-credit requirement.

Councilman John Cioffi (first referenced as Councilman Cioffi) framed the change as a recruitment measure and said it is "not about eliminating the requirement, but about adjusting when it must be met," noting that officers "already earn 30 college credits upon completing the academy." Chief Marlowe Botti told the council the amendment was first proposed last year amid recruitment challenges and that the draft preserves the college-education requirement for promotion eligibility while widening the hiring pool.

Councilman Gomez supported substituting prior law-enforcement experience for college credits but opposed waiving the requirement for candidates who lack both experience and college credits. Councilman Penta said he personally values academy training over college credits and asked how the borough would monitor credit completion after hire; Councilman Bray clarified that the current draft removes a specific post-hire monitoring requirement. Lieutenant Jeffrey Hanlon urged individual evaluation of candidates and reminded the council the issue was first raised in 2024.

The ordinance text as read in the meeting specifies that an associate degree, college degree, or a minimum of 60 college credits is the baseline, and that either "(A) being a sworn law enforcement officer with a current/ valid PTC Class A or Class II certification; or (B) being enrolled in a waiverable PTC Class II or Class A Academy at the time of appointment; may be substituted for the 60 college credits requirement." The draft also includes substitute language for military service, but the phrase in the introduced text reads "Service in any United States military branch for two four years with an honorable discharge or serving at least two years at the time of appointment may be substituted for the 60 college credit requirement," which is unclear in the draft and will need clarification at the public hearing.

Chief Botti and the department's command staff signaled support for the amendment as a tool to expand recruitment while maintaining promotional standards tied to college education. Resident commenter Chris Neyhart said "most of his concerns had already been addressed," and agreed that experience can substitute for college credit but "felt it should not be waived for candidates with neither experience nor credits."

The ordinance was introduced by title and passed on introduction by a 5-1 roll-call vote; Councilman Gomez voted no. A public hearing and final consideration were set for August 5, 2026, at 6:00 PM. The ordinance states it will take effect immediately upon passage and publication according to law, per the draft language read at the meeting.