Interlaken Hires First Female Police Chief in County
By GARRETT STASSE
Interlaken is scheduled to swear in the countys first female police chief July 2.
A months-long search that included reviewing 75 applicants ended this month when Borough Council selected Karen Sullivan, a captain of the Chatham Police Department, to serve as police chief in this residential-only borough.
The Monmouth County Prosecutors Office has been in charge of the department after irregularities were found there two years ago. Following an investigation one police officer was charged and fired. Sullivans hiring is expected to end the investigation and allow the borough to rebuild the force.
The governing body is excited and looks forward to having a strong professional police agency for its deserving community, Mayor Robert Wolf said. The borough Council welcomes Chief Sullivan to Interlaken and takes pride in progressively hiring the first female municipal police chief in Monmouth County.
Sullivan comes with an impressive background. She graduated summa cum laude from Seton Hall University with a masters degree in Human Resources and Training; has a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from New Jersey City University (formerly Jersey City State University); is a Certified Law Enforcement Executive by the N.J. State Chiefs of Police association, and is a graduate of the West Point Command and Leadership Program. She is on the Executive Board of the N.J. Women in Law Enforcement and was the first woman to participate in the Police Unity Tour bike ride from New Jersey to Washington, D.C.
Wolf said Sullivans first task when she begins working on July 15 is to assess the departments needs then hire additional officers. Long-term, she will also help determine the size, shape and function of the Police Headquarters the borough is planning to construct.
Once the department is fully operational we will move onto providing a proper building, Wolf said. Well leave the development of that time frame to our chief and administrator. We have all the professionals in place to make that judgment.
Sullivan will report to Borough Administrator Aimee Antonides, under an ordinance amendment council adopted last month. Council could have continued the policy where the chief would report to council but council rejected that.
Were taking politics out of this, Wolf said. The problems we faced were deeply rooted before I got involved. We want to clean up this department and do this right.
Sullivans gender played no part in her selection, he said. We did this strictly on her abilities and accomplishments and thats what we believe Interlaken wants most. Shes the penultimate professional and I can say on behalf of the council that were looking forward to having her here and moving forward.
The hiring ends a long and sometimes tumultuous period in which council and residents had to cope with the investigation, the stigma of county supervision and clean up the mess caused by lax paperwork and other problems. Department morale was impacted while council and residents debated whether to even keep the department.
Residents supported keeping the department after holding at least two informational meetings.
Read more about your town by picking up The Coaster at your local newsstand or subscribe today.
Published every Thursday.
