OCPO Letter
Uploaded by
Dennis CarmodyOCPO Letter
Uploaded by
Dennis CarmodyBRADLEY D. BILLHIMER MICHAEL T. NOLAN, JR.
Ocean County Prosecutor First Assistant Prosecutor
ANTHONY U. CARRINGTON MICHELLE ARMSTRONG
Chief of Detectives Deputy First Assistant Prosecutor
OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR
119 Hooper Avenue
P.O. Box 2191
Toms River, New Jersey 08754-2191
732-929-2027
www.OCPONJ.gov
July 30, 2025
Hon. Daniel T. Rodrick
Toms River Municipal Bldg.
33 Washington Street
PO Box 728
Toms River, New Jersey 08754
RE: Proposed Ordinance Amending Chapter 50
New Guidelines for Police Hiring
Mayor Rodrick:
It has come to my attention that there is a proposed amendment pending to lower the standards
for the hiring of police officers in Toms River Township. I have grave concerns regarding this
change.
The quality of the officers that comprise the Toms River Police Department is a direct result of
the high standards the department has maintained in its hiring practice for decades. I applaud
your desire to recruit more veterans to serve as Township police officers. I also share your
concern for the dwindling number of applicants for law enforcement positions, as many other
jurisdictions are facing similar circumstances. While these issues are a reality of the current
environment, any attempt to diminish the standards for hiring within the Toms River Township
Police Department will only serve to compound the problem. I firmly believe that reducing entry
requirements for sworn law enforcement officers poses a serious risk to public safety,
community trust and the integrity of the profession.
Sworn law enforcement officers are entrusted with extraordinary responsibilities: to protect life,
uphold the law, and serve the public with integrity and professionalism. Lowering the hiring
standards, whether related to educational requirements, physical fitness, background checks, or
psychological screenings - undermines the caliber of individuals entering the profession and can
have long-term consequences on morale, accountability, and the relationship between the police
and the communities they serve.
The challenges facing law enforcement today require more, not less - more training, more
professionalism, more emotional intelligence and more community engagement. Instead of
lowering the hiring standards, we should be investing in recruitment efforts that attract the best
and the brightest, supporting current officers with wellness and training initiatives and creating a
pipeline of candidates that will inspire the next generation to serve with honor.
Further, proposed changes to the hiring committee and the interview process will further
undermine the quality of candidates that the Toms River Police Department will attract. The
police department is not political wing of the governing body. I urge you to allow the leadership
within the police department, the men and women who work daily, under the stresses of the job,
to make determinations as to who they to hire. This is the established practice in every police
department in this great State.
Thank you for your attention in this matter. Please stand firm in your commitment to excellence
in law enforcement.
Very truly yours,
BRADLEY D. BILLHIMER
OCEAN COUNTY PROSECUTOR