Teaneck swears in new police chief
By Mark Krulish, staff writer
Teaneck Suburbanite, Dec. 25, 2014, p. 1
TEANECK - Six township police officers received promotions while the acting chief was permanently appointed to his role during a presentation at Teaneck's Dec. 17 council meeting.
Chief Robert Carney, who had been serving as the town's acting chief since March, was officially named the ninth police chief in the 100-year history of the Teaneck Police Department.
"Many of the people I've sworn in tonight are Teaneck kids and this is a Teaneck kid," said Township Manager William Broughton. "They have gone through the school system, they know the town and they are dedicated to Teaneck."
Carney has served on the force for the past 26 years, joining the department in 1988. He has held various positions in that time, including patrol officer, Sgt. of motor patrol, Sgt. of the traffic bureau and Captain of operations.
"I joined the department in 1988. That department was one in which officers were driven by quotas and strict law enforcement," said Carney. "We've come a long way since those days. Today, we're a full-service department working with our diverse community to improve their quality of life."
Carney had been serving as the Township's Deputy Chief until the retirement of former Chief Robert Wilson in March. Carney was then named acting chief until the promotion could be made permanent.
"To be appointed chief of these men and women is truly an honor and a privilege," said Carney as he addressed a packed council chamber. "I have confidence in this community and its police officers. Together, we can do great things."
With Carney's ascension to police chief, Capt. Glenn O'Reilly became Teaneck's new Deputy Chief. O'Reilly is a 23-year veteran of the Teaneck Police Department and has been the captain of the investigation division since 2010. With O'Reilly's rise creating another vacancy, a 21-year officer, Lt. John Faggello, was promoted to captain after earning numerous commendations for his work.
Sgt. Scott M. Tesser was promoted to lieutenant after 13 years of working as an officer in Teaneck. Tesser is a domestic violence training officer and was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from the Bergen County 200 Club in 2011.
Three female officers, Zoraida Martinez, Kimberly Johnson and Jeanette Williams, were all promoted to the role of Sergeant during the evening's presentation.
"When I started on the council there was an issue of having minorities in ranking officials on the police force," said Mayor Lizette Parker. "So to swear in three women tonight, that deserves a round of applause."
Martinez has served Teaneck for the past 18 years and has been an asset to the general investigation unit, helping close many difficult cases, along with her work in the detective bureau and community policing bureau.
Johnson, a 20-year veteran, has been a school resource officer and excels in communication and interaction with the public, known for her patience and compassion with township residents.
Williams has been noted for her work with children as a detective in the juvenile bureau and as a specialist in the interviewing techniques of young children in her 18-year tenure on the force.
"Today is really a wonderful day for Teaneck," said Deputy Mayor Elie Katz. "We really do have one of the best police departments in the state. You don't realize that until you call a police officer in some other communities. Judging them by the same metrics, apple to apples, we have a phenomenal police department."
During their comments, council members touched on a number of issues facing police departments within towns and cities across the country, but were universal in their praise for the job done by township officers in working with the community as a whole.
"America is going through a crisis in terms of community relations with the police department," said Councilman Henry Pruitt. "But within the Township of Teaneck, under the leadership of Chief Wilson and continued leadership of Chief Carney, this department is a model for all police departments in Bergen County, the State of New Jersey and the country."
