Services Division
Lieutenant Michael Fountain
Lieutenant Michael Fountain commands the Services Division which consists of Investigations Bureau, Field Support Bureau, Training Bureau, and several miscellaneous functions for our agency. Lt Fountain can be contacted by phone at 732-446-8393 or by E-mail at mfountain@manalapanpolice.org.
INVESTIGATIONS BUREAU
The Investigations Bureau is supervised by Detective Sergeant Robert Rushnak and staffed by six permanent detectives. These Detectives are charged with the responsibility of conducting criminal investigations that involve indictable offenses, processing crime scenes and the dissemination of intelligence among the members of the police department.
During the calendar year 2008, the bureau handled approximately 229 criminal investigations. Of those criminal investigations, the two highest crime categories noted were 76 burglary investigations and 34 sex crimes/child abuse cases.
Narcotics investigations continue to be a primary concern within the bureau. Any information provided to the Investigations Bureau by concerned citizens in kept strictly confidential. A narcotics tip hotline has been set up at 732 446-8389 the desk of Detective Michael Ratta.
Within the Investigations Bureau there are also several specialized units that delegate responsibilities to the staff outside the usual purview of criminal investigations. The bureau contains the Megan’s Law officer, juvenile officer, narcotic’s officer, evidence officers, and three trained crisis negotiators.
All of the Detectives are available for assistance by calling the main number 732 446-4300 or at the following extensions:
Detective Sergeant Robert Rushnak: 732 446-8394
Detective Eric Schmidt: 732 446-8386
Detective Joseph Moreto: 732 446-8387
Detective Matthew Trembow: 732 446-6207
Detective Thomas Mantle: 732 446-8385
Detective Michael Ratta: 732 446-8389
Detective Leonard Maltese: 732 446-8388
PROPERTY AND EVIDENCE UNIT
The property and evidence unit is attached to the Investigations Bureau and is presently staffed by one officer who is designated as the primary property and evidence technician for the department. This officer is not only responsible to receive, process, log, and store the tremendous amount of evidence and property brought into the agency, but sometimes for destroying it as well. At present, the unit is managing over 1,500 active cases containing thousands of individual pieces of evidence.
Additional duties of the evidence and property officer are to assist with crime scene processing, property destructions and returns, and the relinquishing of evidence for discovery requests or court proceedings. The property and evidence officer also serves as the liaison between our agency, the New Jersey State Police Laboratory and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Evidence Unit.
Property taken in by the department can be returned to the rightful owners by contacting the property and evidence officer, Patrolman Kevin Schmidt at 732 446-6387. An appointment will be set up for a convenient time when property can be returned.
FIELD SUPPORT BUREAU
Lieutenant Michael Fountain is the supervisor for the Field Support Bureau which consists of the Traffic Safety, Community Policing and Firearms/Fingerprinting Units.
TRAFFIC SAFETY UNIT
Firearms and Fingerprinting Unit
In 2008, civilian Identification Officer Douglas Frueh processed the vast amount of firearms applications and fingerprinting requirements for Township residents. The Firearms and Fingerprinting Unit is responsible for processing all of the firearm and pistol permit applications. Lt. Thomas Barstow oversees the unit during the evening watch hours. Lt. Barstow can be reached at 732 446-8390 and ID Officer Frueh can be reached by calling the main number 732 446-4300 to schedule an appointment. Firearms Forms
In addition to processing firearm applications, Mr. Frueh, also fingerprints individuals for the following purposes:
· School Employment
· New Jersey Division of Motor Vehicles
· Criminal History Information Requests
· Adoptions
· Banking and Securities Exchange Employment
· Township Ordinance Requirements
· Health Care Employment
· Criminal Arrests
· Volunteer Work Applications
· Permits to Carry Concealed Pistols
· Applications to hold a Liquor License
COMMUNITY POLICING UNIT
Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE)
The Drug Abuse Resistance Education program was first implemented in Manalapan Township at the start of the 1995 school year. Since that time, nearly 23,500 children have graduated from DARE.
Currently, Patrolman Kimberly Whitehill, administers the program with the curriculum being provided to two different grade levels throughout the Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District. Students in the fourth and sixth grades received the benefits of DARE instruction. Ptl. Whitehill can be reached at 732 446-8384.
In addition to the academic portion of the DARE program, Ptl. Whitehill coordinates the annual DARE Fishing Derby Day wherein the students, their family members and friends are invited to a day of fishing at Molder’s Fishing Reserve in Old Bridge, NJ. The day is a fun filled way for the community to get together with the police officers and enjoy themselves as the summer begins. The Derby is usually held the Friday after school ends for the summer. In addition, the DARE program runs the Mommy/Son and Daddy/Daughter date night fund raisers to raise money to off set the costs of the DARE program. The date nights are a huge success every year. Finally, in the spring, the DARE program coordinates the annual Police Officers vs. Teachers basketball game.
School Resource Officer
The Police Department’s School Resource Officer program (SRO) was started in September of 2000 with the entry of Patrolman Jonathan “Herc” Suydam into Manalapan High School. This program has successfully continued to increase the interaction and cooperation between the school and the police department. Patrolman Joseph Felicia is assigned as the full-time School Resource Officer. Ptl. Felicia can be reached at 732 446-8384 in the police building or at the Manalapan High School by calling the main number at 732 792-7200.
In addition to the SRO function and related instruction, Ptl. Felicia assists in the instructional programs for the Law Enforcement and Public Safety Academy at the high school. Numerous guest speakers from the local, State and Federal levels of the Law Enforcement Community are scheduled and coordinated by Ptl. Felicia to give the presentations to the program students. Ptl. Robert Herring, who was a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps., has also become involved in the program. Ptl. Herring provides blocks of drill and ceremony instruction to the students in the Law Enforcement and Public Safety Academy.
Crime Prevention
This function either provided or facilitated presentations in topics such as 9-1-1 training for preschool and elementary-aged children, Halloween safety lectures, Ident-A-Kid programs and drunk driving or provisional drivers license related programs and internet safety programs. In addition, lectures have been conducted for various civic groups and community associations on personal safety and identity theft.
TRAINING BUREAU
Field Training Officer Program
When the police department hires a new probationary officer they are subjected to an intensive training program for a minimum of one year. After an officer successfully graduates from a police academy and enters the Field Training Program, that officer is evaluated weekly for the first twelve weeks in the program. This program is designed to pair a new officer with a seasoned officer in order to foster the connection between the Academy training and the practical application of the fundamentals of law enforcement, especially how it relates to Manalapan Township. When an officer successfully completes the initial twelve weeks of training, the officer continues to be evaluated on a monthly basis by a Sergeant assigned to further mentor and cultivate the new officer. This program is coordinated through the Training Bureau to maximize a continuity of training philosophies and methods, and to ensure that personnel resources dedicated to the Police Department are utilized and trained to their maximum potential.
Firearms
Recognizing that the use of deadly force and the use of firearms in general are an enormous area of liability, the department has taken an aggressive approach to ensure our officers are trained to the highest of standards. The firearms unit consists of officers who have been selected to teach and train all of the officers in the department in the use and handling of their firearms. The unit is supervised by Lieutenant Michael Fountain who has been designated as the department’s Supervising Firearms Instructor.
The unit staff members consist of fourteen officers of all ranks who are selected based upon their marksmanship skills, teaching ability and leadership qualities. The unit is responsible to train officers and ensure the qualifications standards set forth by the New Jersey Attorney General are achieved by each officer in the department. In addition to qualification standards, staff members also teach progressive firearms use as it relates to a law enforcement officer’s responsibilities.
In-Service Training
Modern police techniques require officers to receive constant and progressive training in all phases of their work. A majority of this training is mandated by Federal and State law, Case law, and Policies and Guidelines from the Attorney General and County Prosecutor. A significant portion is also required as a condition to maintaining Accreditation status.
The department conducts over 4,300 man-hours a year for both mandatory and selective training; this being necessary to maintain the level of proficiency demanded by the organization for the community it serves. This figure does not include the hours dedicated to department firearm related training previously mentioned above.
Emergency Response Team
Nationwide events related to school and public shootings as well as domestic and international terrorism have changed the tactics in which law enforcement officers must respond to critical incidents. In 2005, the department sent five officers to a week-long basic SWAT school in Abington, Pennsylvania. The purpose of this intense training was to establish the base line for forming the department’s Emergency Response Team. The team, commanded by Lieutenant Michael Fountain, now consists of seven members who are trained in the use of special weapons and covert tactics. The unit was primarily formed to provide a quick response in the event of a serious situation at one of our many schools; however it has also been expanded to include high-risk arrests, the execution of search warrants, initial responses to hostage/barricaded subjects and any other situations that would be beyond the training of regular patrol officers. All members of the team are trained and certified in the use of less-lethal weapons, distraction devices and specialized weapons systems. The team members train bimonthly to sharpen their skills in areas such as entry techniques, marksmanship, team vehicle assaults and room clearing techniques.
The department also has two members who are part of the Monmouth County Emergency Response Team (MOCERT). The MOCERT team consists of highly trained officers from throughout the county who specialize in the use of advanced weapons systems, explosive breaching techniques and defensive tactics. This resource is extremely important as history has shown us that simply containing a problem is not sufficient enough. Since Manalapan Township has participating members on the MOCERT Team, there is no additional fees incurred by the Township if the use of the team is necessary
MISCELLANEOUS FUNCTIONS – SERVICES
MUNICIPAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TRUST FUND (LETF)
The Law Enforcement Trust Fund is a permanently established account containing money that has been received by the police department through forfeiture proceedings. Forfeiture is a civil procedure or remedy where local, state or federal law enforcement entities seek to take unlawfully obtained proceeds of criminal activity and to take instrumentalities used to aid in criminal activities. The fund is monitored through quarterly audit reports filed by the police department with the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the New Jersey State Attorney General.
FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TRUST FUND
In 2008, Det. Joseph Moreto was assigned to a Federal Internal Revenue Service Task Force. After receiving initial training, Detective Moreto’s responsibilities on the Task Force are primarily to conduct financial investigations involving criminal structuring and money laundering. As a result of his participation on this Task Force, the department is able to accumulate forfeited money from activity conducted that breaks the criminal and tax laws in New Jersey and the United States.
POLICE EXPLORER PROGRAM
The Manalapan Township Police Explorer Program is comprised of youth from the community between the ages of 14 and 21 who are interested in law enforcement as a career. The program teaches participants about law enforcement, leadership and independence; with members meeting periodically to train in different facets of law enforcement. Explorers are also assigned to attend public and private events in order to assist with traffic control and security issues.
This program is currently administered through the Services Division and coordinated by post advisors Sergeant Gerald Bruno, Patrolman Joseph Felicia and Officer Kimberly Whitehill. Ptl. Whitehill or Ptl. Felicia can be contacted for further information about joining the Post at 732 446-8384.
MENTOR PROGRAM
The mentoring program was started in the Police Department as a way to further develop our officer’s commitment to the community and the community policing philosophy. The program matches police employees with various sports, activities, or functions that involve children from the community. The officer volunteers his free time and when the group meets, is present to participate with them. If possible, each program is set-up using a minimum of at least two officers so that if one is working, the other can still be there to see that the program functions. If manpower and workload permits, the department will allow the on-duty officer to also attend.
Currently, Patrolman Reginald Grant is active in the program as a mentor to the Manalapan Township High School varsity football team and as a mentor to the varsity track team.