Home » Six New Police Officers Sworn In for Hopewell Township

Six New Police Officers Sworn In for Hopewell Township

by Diane Carroll

Hopewell Township  Mayor Courtney Peters-Manning swore in six new police officers at the Monday, January 13 Township Committee Meeting. Friends and family of the new officers packed the room as Peters-Manning administered the oath of office. In February, the six will begin Mercer County Police Academy training before they assume roles as Patrol Officers in July.

Police Chief Jim Russo said, “We are excited for the addition of these new officers, who stood out through the entire hiring process. We started with over 130 applicants and through the physical fitness assessment, interviews, and background, they clearly rose to the top of our list. These new officers possess the qualities and characteristics that we look for in our Hopewell Township Police Officers. We are excited to have them join our team.”

The new officers include: 

  • Anthony Pizzola, 23, from Castleton-on-Hudson, NY. Pizzola earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Marist College and completed an internship with the Newburgh Police Department.Christopher Hayes, 27, from Brick, NJ holds an associate’s degree from ASA College (Hialeah, FL) where he also played football. Hayes previously worked as a caregiver for elderly patients suffering from dementia. 
  • Jack Lane, 25, from South River, NJ is studying for bachelor’s degree at Wilkes University and is a hockey coach for the New Jersey 87’s Hockey Club. 
  • Tylor Blake, 23, grew up in Frenchtown, NJ and has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Stevenson University in Maryland. Blake worked as a Range Safety Officer at the Tactical Training Center in Flemington, NJ, and serves as a volunteer firefighter for Holland Township and Quakertown Fire Departments. He holds multiple certifications, including Firefighter 1, HAZMAT Level 1 & 2, and ICS 100 & 700.
  • Emily Diszler, 23, from Hamilton, NJ holds a bachelor’s degree from The College of New Jersey. Diszler was an intern with the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, and coaches basketball at Steinert High School.
  • Ryan Morash, 25, from Tewksbury, NJ is a graduate of Hofstra University, where he played varsity baseball. Morash worked as Financial Analyst with the Private Client Group. 
Mayor Courtney Peters-Manning administers the oath of office to Emily Diszler.

At the conclusion of the swearing-in ceremony, Mayor Peters Manning welcomed the new officers to the force and to the Hopewell Valley community.  

“I was honored to welcome six new officers to the Hopewell Township Police Department and community,” said Peters-Manning. “I truly mean it that the HTPD is the best police department in the State of New Jersey. Chief Jim Rosso and the rest of the Department are community-minded, effective, and responsive to residents, and I know our new officers will fit right in. I am looking forward to celebrating their Police Academy graduation in July.”

Township Committee Proposes Scotch Road Traffic Changes and Senior Ride Fare Increase

In other business, on Monday night, the Township Committee considered changes to traffic patterns on Scotch Road.

An ordinance lowering traffic speeds near the intersection of Scotch Road and Pennington-Titusville Road was introduced for First Reading. Another ordinance adding stop signs to make that intersection a four-way stop was introduced. These changes will get a full public hearing at the Township Committee’s next meeting on January 27 at 6:30 p.m. in the HopewellTownship Municipal Building (201 Washington Crossing Rd.) and on Zoom.

The Township Committee also approved a resolution authorizing an increase in cost for Hopewell Valley Rides participants from $5.00 to $8.00. Formed in 2008, Hopewell Valley Rides provides residents of Hopewell Borough, Hopewell Township, and Pennington Borough who are 60 and over and no longer able to drive themselves with an additional option for transportation within Hopewell Valley. Users have paid $5.00 per ride since 2019, while the actual cost per ride has risen to $18.00. The remainder of the cost is covered through grant funding. Full information on the Rides program is on the Township website.

Feature photo: Mayor Peters-Manning and Township Committee Members welcome new officers to the police force.

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