By DON STINE
A retired Newark police captain was appointed this week as the third member of Neptune’s newly-formed Police Committee, which will help formulate and oversee policies in the police department.
Retired Newark Police Capt. Barry J. Colicelli, a 35-year law enforcement veteran who lives in Brielle and retired in 2004, was appointed to the new committee. The appointment carries no stipend and is voluntary. The other two members are Mayor Michael Brantley and Deputy Mayor Nick Williams.
The new three-member Police Committee will now oversee the Neptune police department with the chief running the day-to-day operations.
“(Colicelli) is the right person for the committee, the police department, and the residents,” Williams said.
He said seven candidates were considered and a final three were brought in for interviews on Sept. 20. He said that Colicelli was eventually interviewed for an hour and that he is familiar with all aspects of police policy. He has a long resume and a number of awards in law enforcement, with specialties in analytical abilities, a knowledge of police practices, investigative experience, and experience in public management.
Mayor Michael Brantley said the applicants “were diverse in every way, including their experience in law enforcement, but all shared a desire to make this community even better.”
He said all of the applicants were from the law enforcement community. Brantley said that Colicelli, 66, will soon begin
“This step, as many others before it, isn’t the end of a process. This appointment is simply just another step, a very important step, we take to keep advancing our effort to make Neptune as safe as it can be,” he said.
Colicelli, who owns his own private investigation and consulting company, said he heard about the position on the Neptune police committee through friends and the media.
“So, I submitted my resume. I don’t know the inner workings of Neptune but I do understand it’s inner workings just like any other town. Diverse communities are what I know best, coming from Newark. I got training that was hands-on than rather than learn from books and I want to use this background and experience to help towns like Neptune,” he said.
Colicelli said he hopes to bring to the table whatever the police committee needs.
“I like to take a look at the issues, analyze them and, as a team, look at solutions. I like to get at solutions,” he said.
The new committee member said he looks forward to meeting with Neptune residents and community groups.
“I like to keep my hands in and keep active. I enjoy meeting people and have them tell me what they need. I am a firm believer having another set of eyes, they always see something you didn’t see- so you never know,” he said.
This newest member of the committee was appointed at the discretion of the governing body and Township Attorney Gene Anthony said previously that state statutes do not set qualifications on who can be on such a committee but it does determine their duties.
Creating the new police committee now eliminates the Police Director position, formerly held by township CFO Michael J. Bascom for the last four years, and turn it over to the three-member police committee. The police committee will be responsible for the overall performance of the police department while the chief will be in charge of day-to-day operations.
