Monroe Township Ranked Among Safest Cities in America
MTPD Introduces Five New Police Officers
MONROE TOWNSHIP, N.J. – FEBRUARY 24, 2021 – Mayor Stephen Dalina and Chief Michael Biennas introduced five new members of the Monroe Township Police Department as the Township once again ranks among the safest cities in the state and country.
As a testament to the dedication and professionalism of its police department, Monroe Township earned top rankings in the Safest Cities and Towns in America 2021 Report by MoneyGeek, a personal finance technology company. According to the report, Monroe Township ranked 10th safest city in America and fourth safest city in the New Jersey.
“The safety of our residents, businesses and visitors is a cornerstone to the wonderful quality of life we enjoy here in Monroe. We welcome the new class of recruits,” said Mayor Stephen Dalina. “I am truly thankful to our men and women in blue who work tirelessly every day to keep us all safe. This recognition year after year is a testament to their hard work.”
The ranking is based on analysis of FBI standardized crime statistics and population data. Review the full report at https://www.moneygeek.com/living/safest-cities/small-cities-and-towns-in-america/#full-data-set
The Monroe Township Police Department comprises 66 sworn officers. The Department consists of a detective bureau, a juvenile/youth services bureau, a domestic unit, a traffic safety bureau and has an officer assigned to senior citizen crime prevention.
“The Monroe Township Police Department is committed to keeping crime rates very low. We are thankful to Mayor Dalina and Township Council for allocating the appropriate resources toward that mission,” said Chief Michael Biennas. “This new class of recruits joins a department of highly dedicated law enforcement professionals. We wish them all well in their new roles with the department.”
New Officers from 2020:
Officer Richard A. Diaz is a 2012 graduate of Monroe Township High School. He earned his associate’s degree in criminal justice from Brookdale Community College in May 2015. He then earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from New Jersey City University in May 2019. Prior to his employment with the Monroe Township Police Department, Officer Diaz worked at the Monroe Township Department of Public Works as a road equipment operator. Officer Diaz graduated from the Cape May Police Academy on July 2, 2020.
Officer Heather M. McClain is a 2004 graduate of South Brunswick High School where she was a varsity basketball player. Officer McClain attended Centenary College from 2004 to 2006 and later graduated from The University of Scranton in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. She began her career in law enforcement as a 911 dispatcher at the Camden County Sheriff’s Office in Woodbine, GA. Prior to attending the Cape May Police Academy she worked as a Monroe Township Police Department 911 dispatcher. Officer McClain graduated from the Cape May Police Academy on July 2, 2020.
Officer Jake D. Lloyd graduated from Manchester Township High School in 2017. Officer Lloyd earned an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Ocean County Community College in 2019. Officer Lloyd received his NJ PTC SLEO II certification from the Ocean County Police Academy on in May 2019. His law enforcement career began when he was hired by Toms River Police Dept as a SLEO I where he served from April 2018 to September 2018 for seasonal help. Prior to going to The Cape May Police Academy he worked at Mantoloking Police Dept. as a SLEO II for seasonal help. Officer Lloyd graduated from the Cape May Police Academy on July 2, 2020.
Officer Martina Stewart is a 2014 graduate of Marlboro High school where she was a four-year varsity athlete in soccer and two years in lacrosse, leading both teams as Captain. Officer Stewart then attended Brookdale Community College from fall 2014 to spring 2016. She then transferred to Willington University where she earned a BS in business management in the spring of 2019. During her college years she continued to play soccer at both Brookdale and Willington University. Officer Stewart graduated from the Cape May Police Academy on July 2, 2020.
Officer Benjamin N. Ostner is a 2007 graduate of Freehold High School. Ofc. Ostner Attended Centenary University from August 2007 to May 2008. He then attended the College of New Jersey from August 2008 to May 2012 and studied at American College of Education. Officer Ostner graduated with a B.S. and master’s degree majoring in history, special education and educational administration. He was employed at the Monroe Township High School as a special education teacher from July 2012 to October 2019 and he was employed by New Brunswick High School as their varsity wrestling coach from November 2017 to October 2019. Officer Ostner graduated from the Cape May Police Academy on July 2, 2020.