PHOTO: The new Police Officers hired by the Lakewood Police Department, have begun their jobs. Laid-off Trentonian Officer Sal Reyes (pictured right), brother of Lakewood officer Nate Reyes, began patrolling the streets last week, while offer Vito Renna – also laid off from Trenton – will begin patrolling in the coming days. Both were hired off the RICE list.
Reyes and Renna were laid off in September, when Trenton laid off 105 officers, which was about a third of the force.
A third recently hired officerofficer, Charles Messer – brother of Lakewood officer Chase Messer – was also hired by the Department back in September, but is currently in the Academy. He is expected to hit the streets in the Summer. TLS.
Good luck to all of the new hires. Please be safe and God Bless!!!!!!
Stay safe guys!! Glad to have you aboard 🙂
i am not coming to criticize any police officers or the LPD as a group.
rather i am here to intellectually question the LPD policy
This is a township with a very large ethnic and “minority” population , not really found anywhere else in this area.
there has been over the years a lot of tension between the locals and the police.
i am not saying that any officer should be let go,
but if your hiring new , shouldnt you hire some local , home grown people that reflect the local populations ethnic and racial build up ?
and have them patrolling their areas and this way the population can feel that this is “our ” police force. ?
bringing in more outsiders doesnt really give that feeling
are there no local african americans , hispanics and jews that would make good officers?
and furthermore why are you hiring from trenton, trenton has been known as a very dis functional force ?
anyone with intelligent answers ?
why where they laid off??
Welcome aboard guys.. the coffee and donuts by Wawa on Squankum Rd is great but its even better by bagel nosh on Clifton ave..
I think one of the worst things a city or town could do is fire their police officers! We welcome you with open arms 🙂
Welcome to da hood! Glad to have you guys on our streets- can you please take them back for us again? Stay safe out there, we have you in our thoughts and prayers.
#5
Your comment is very distasteful. Think before typing.
To #3:
I’m sure that if any locals actually graduated from the Police Academy, they would be hired. Unfortunately, most of the Hispanics in town are undocumented and probably couldn’t graduate if they wanted to, and no African Americans or Jews from Lakewood graduated recently.
My suggestion to you would be to walk the streets and convince the local documented citizens to join the Police Academy, and that way we’ll have more locals join the police force down the road.
Welcome to the new arrivals. Good luck and be safe. Lakewood, with all its issues and our crazy driving habits, is much much safer than Trenton, guaranteed.
Someone should teach them the hiding places where they can more efficiently catch vehicle violations.
Would save alot of time and add revenue for important municipal projects.
to # 3, Sal Reyes did grow up in Lakewood
To #3, you make valid points but you are misinformed. Reyes and Messer are both from Lakewood. Normally new hires are required to be residents, exceptions might be made in RICE situations. But to say the officers of LPD are not reflective of the town is incorrect. A lot of the current officers grew up in Lakewood.
Gotta love ignorance of the FACTS
Reflective of the Lakewood community?
How many orthodox officers are there on the force?
Yup 0%. pretty low.
Wanda- name one single orthodox man or woman who has taken the test to be hired. if they wanted the job and did well enough they’d get hired
If you have the Passion & Ability to do a JOB!!!! Then let it be SO!!!!
I’m still waiting for the state to announce when the next test is.
I for one sincerely hope the new arrivals don’t read some of these comments- they are not reflective as our community as a whole.
Stay safe guys and thanks for protecting us and our town. Welcome!
The state just gave a civil service test and a few Religious males took it. Now have to see if they are qualified and meet the background requirements. And why wouldn’t they hire a religious guy? As long as he will break shabbos laws to work when needed, and shave his beard cut his hair. So before you type dumb remarks, know the facts. # 3, # 17, # 14,# 10, # 9, # 4, # 5. All useless stupid comments.
Umm I’ve been checking the Civil Service for the past year off and on for a test date. The last time the test was administer was in 2010 and from what I’m told it is given every 2 years. Since it is two years from 2010 last time it was given I have been looking for a date. If anyone knows when its going to be please post it on here. I wasn’t trying to offend anyone or do anything else. I was simply stating that the state has not announced the next civil service test date. The only thing Ive seen is that the Sgts test has been postponed.
welcome to lakewood. youll find the best doughnuts and coffe at bagel nosh.
It would be nice to actually see a orthrodox jew become a lakewood officer but it wont’ happen just like you don’t see them join the army, navy, marines, etc! i am also jewish myself just not religous and my son is fighting for this country as a marine and i am so proud of him! it doesn’t say anywhere in the torah you can not become a officer or fight for your country! So let’s see more jews become officers, correctional officers and join the military and fight foe your country as this is your home now!!!
For*
if they wanted to to have a balance police for that reflects the community ( which is over 50% jewish) the would hire a few orthodox males to police the jewish area and allow them to be off on Sat. since anyways they jews arn’t doing anything then , and there are places outside lakewood were jewish males are on police forces and get of on Sat
also they can have more african american police officers for the african american areas. i know there are some , but they come nowhere close to represent the percent of the african americans in Lakewood
#21 You read this site and you didn’t notice that your own Mayor is a service member and an orthodox Jew, and not the only one by far I might add.
May You Both My brothers’ Sal & Nate be a Blessing to the Lakewood Community… May God Always be your Shield of Protection to you & the Entire LKWD POLICE DEPT. last but not least! Doesn’t Matter where you come from what matters is Gettimg the JOB DONE! & I know My Brother Sal is a Hard Working Man with Respect & Passion.
First you complain about not having enough police officers,now that a few have been hired you are complaining, what will it take to make yoy happy.
We do need more cops to keep criminals off the streets
Welcome aboard guys, stay safe out there. Lakewood officers that get hired off of the civil service list have to have residency in Lakewood at the time they take the test and at the time of hire. Further more most of the officers that are on the job already are from Lakewood, grew up here, and graduated high school from here….FACT!!! As far as hiring an Orthodox Jew is concerned to “Patrol Jewish areas” well it will happen evetually when they can work on Shabbos, and in order to make it through the academy you can only miss so many days and the academy runs through the holy season. That said being an officer myself welcome all to take the test and apply…
Welcome to Lakewood. Stay safe and healthy, and be careful out there.
Welcome aboard
I thank you in advance
This is a gr8 town
Please focus on crime
Not just parking tix
Welcome to nj’s best city!!
@ 3…. Two of the new officers were raised in Lakewood. Maybe you should ask questions before you make a comment.
Are any of those newly police officers Iraq or Afghanistan war veterans? Please hire veterans, especially those that grew up in Lakewood and graduated from Lakewood public schools.