Monroe Township Police Department Promotes Two Sergeants; Inducts Nine Police Officers Since 2020
MTPD Swears-in First Police Officer of Asian-Indian Descent
MONROE TOWNSHIP, N.J. – MARCH 16, 2022 – Mayor Stephen Dalina and Chief Michael Biennas inducted nine members to the ranks of the Monroe Township Police Department and promoted two sergeants at the first swearing-in ceremony since the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered most public engagements. The officers and sergeants will fill seats vacated by retirees over the past two years. Five of the nine officers joined the force in 2020 and now are being ceremoniously sworn in.
“Congratulations to our newly promoted sergeants and our nine officers. Thank you for your commitment to safety for all residents and all those who work and visit Monroe,” said Mayor Stephen Dalina. “The safety of our residents, businesses and visitors is a top priority for this administration and I am thankful to all of the men and women of the MTPD for their dedication to our safety.”
Mayor Dalina and Chief Biennas also are pleased to announce the hiring of the departments’ first police officer of Asian Indian descent. “I am extremely proud that Officer Bedi is choosing to serve the community in which he was raised,” said Mayor Dalina. “We are thankful for the many Asian Indian residents of Monroe who bring a wealth of culture, volunteerism, and service to our community. Officer Bedi will be a terrific addition to the Monroe Township Police Department.”
Officer Ritik Bedi graduated from Monroe Township High School in 2018 and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from The College of New Jersey in 2021. He is a recent graduate of the Cape May County Police Academy where he was awarded the High Academic Achievement Award. Officer Bedi is fluent in the Hindi and Punjabi dialects.
“The Monroe Township Police Department is committed to keeping crime rates very low while collaborating with other regional departments as well as county and state law enforcement to stay abreast of local and regional trends,” said Chief Michael Biennas. “This class of recruits joins a department of highly dedicated and diverse law enforcement professionals. We wish them all well in their new roles with the department. Congratulations to our newly promoted sergeants. Job well done.”
The Monroe Township Police Department comprises 66 sworn officers. The Department consists of a detective bureau, a juvenile/youth services bureau, a domestic unit, a traffic safety bureau and has an officer assigned to senior citizen crime prevention. The Monroe Township police force is comprised of multi-national members speaking a multitude of languages including Russian, Polish, German, Spanish and now Hindi and Punjabi.
Effective March 15, 2022, Officer Jason Cohn is promoted to the rank of Sergeant following the retirement of Sergeant Richard Stemming earlier this month and Officer Daniel J. Mosakowski was promoted to Sergeant to fill an open supervisory position in the Patrol Division.
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Sergeant Jason Cohn is a 1994 graduate of Marlboro High School. He attended Bookdale Community College from September 1994 to May 1995 before transferring to Rutgers University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice in May 1999. Sergeant Cohn was a dispatcher at the Monmouth Ocean Hospital Corporation from 1999 to 2001. Sergeant Cohn entered the Camden County Police Academy in January 2001 as an alternate route candidate. He completed the academy in 2001 and was hired with Monroe Township Police Department in November 2001. Throughout his career, Sergeant Cohn has been assigned to the Patrol Division where he has earned training certificates in Traffic Safety Specialist Level 1, Field Training Officer, Drug Recognition Expert, Emergency Medical Technician, Emergency Medical Dispatch and Monadnock Expandable Baton Instructor. He has received awards and recognition, including a Life Saving award, and he is a seven-time Mothers Against Drunk Driving Award recipient.
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Sergeant Daniel Mosakowski is a 2002 graduate of Sayreville War Memorial High School. He earned his associates degree in criminal justice from Middlesex County College in 2008. He began his law enforcement career in July 2002 as an Auxiliary Police Officer with the Sayreville Police Department. He also worked as a 911 dispatcher for the Sayreville Police Department from 2007 to 2009. Sergeant Mosakowski graduated from the Cape May County Police Academy as an Alternate Route recruit in June 2009 and achieved the High Academic Honors award. He was hired by the Monroe Township Police Department in December 2009. Prior to his promotion to Sergeant, he was assigned to the Patrol Division and then to he Traffic Safety Unit from December 2014 to February 2022. Sergeant Mosakowski also was appointed as Monroe Township’s Humane Enforcement Officer in July 2018.
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Officer Richard A. Diaz is a 2012 graduate of Monroe Township High School. He earned his associate’s degree in criminal justice from Brookdale Community College in May 2015. He then earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from New Jersey City University in May 2019. Prior to his employment with the Monroe Township Police Department, Officer Diaz worked at the Monroe Township Department of Public Works as a road equipment operator. Officer Diaz graduated from the Cape May Police Academy on July 2, 2020.
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Officer Jake D. Lloyd graduated from Manchester Township High School in 2017. Officer Lloyd earned an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Ocean County Community College in 2019. Officer Lloyd received his NJ PTC SLEO II certification from the Ocean County Police Academy in May 2019. His law enforcement career began when he was hired by Toms River Police Dept as a SLEO I where he served from April 2018 to September 2018 for seasonal help. Prior to going to The Cape May Police Academy, he worked at Mantoloking Police Dept. as a SLEO II for seasonal help. Officer Lloyd graduated from the Cape May Police Academy on July 2, 2020.
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Officer Heather M. McClain is a 2004 graduate of South Brunswick High School where she was a varsity basketball player. Officer McClain attended Centenary College from 2004 to 2006 and later graduated from The University of Scranton in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. She began her career in law enforcement as a 911 dispatcher at the Camden County Sheriff’s Office in Woodbine, GA. Prior to attending the Cape May Police Academy, she worked as a Monroe Township Police Department 911 dispatcher. Officer McClain graduated from the Cape May Police Academy on July 2, 2020.
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Officer Benjamin N. Ostner is a 2007 graduate of Freehold High School. Ofc. Ostner attended Centenary University from August 2007 to May 2008. He then attended the College of New Jersey from August 2008 to May 2012 and studied at American College of Education. Officer Ostner graduated with a B.S. and master’s degree majoring in history, special education, and educational administration. He was employed at the Monroe Township High School as a special education teacher from July 2012 to October 2019 and he was employed by New Brunswick High School as their varsity wrestling coach from November 2017 to October 2019. Officer Ostner graduated from the Cape May Police Academy on July 2, 2020.
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Officer Martina Stewart is a 2014 graduate of Marlboro High school where she was a four-year varsity athlete in soccer and two years in lacrosse, leading both teams as Captain. Officer Stewart then attended Brookdale Community College from fall 2014 to spring 2016. She then transferred to Willington University where she earned a BS in business management in the spring of 2019. During her college years she continued to play soccer at both Brookdale and Willington University. Officer Stewart graduated from the Ocean County Police Academy as an Alternate Route candidate on March 2, 2020.
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Officer Robert A. Bell Jr. is a 2018 graduate of Monroe Township High School. He currently is pursuing an Associates Degree in criminal justice at Middlesex County College. Officer Bell began his public service career with the Monroe Township Volunteer Fire Company #1 where he was a firefighter and graduated from the Middlesex County Fire Academy in January 2019. He then accepted a position as SLEO I with the Toms River Police Department and received his NJ PTC SLEO II Certification the Ocean County Police Academy in June 2020. He then was employed by the Point Pleasant Beach Police Department where he served as seasonal help. Officer Bell graduated from the Cape May Police Academy on May 21, 2021.
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Officer David M. Pena is a 2016 graduate of John F. Kennedy Memorial High School where he was a four-year varsity swimmer. Officer Pena attended Middlesex County College from Fall 2016 to Spring 2017. He then joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve where he held the billet of Truck Dispatch. Officer Pena graduated from the Cape May Police Academy on May 21, 2021.
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Officer Ritik Bedi graduated from Monroe Township High School in 2018 and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from The College of New Jersey in 2021. He is a recent graduate of the Cape May County Police Academy where he was awarded the High Academic Achievement Award. Officer Bedi served as an EMT for Monroe Township Emergency Medical Services throughout high school and college. He was a member of the Monroe Township High School Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council and led the drunk driving prevention program for the high school. Officer Bedi enjoys spending time talking to the public, helping others in need and speaks Hindi and Punjabi. He hopes to develop meaningful relationships with the residents of Monroe Township.
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Officer Brian Rieker is a 2009 graduate of Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft, NJ. Officer Rieker attended La Salle University in Philadelphia, PA where he earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 2013. He graduated from the Monmouth County Police Academy in 2018 and received the Traffic Safety Officer Association Award. Officer Rieker was hired by the Old Bridge Township Police Department on February 14, 2019, where he worked as a Patrol Officer until he was hired by the Monroe Township Police Department as a Police Officer on February 28, 2022.
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All media inquiries may be directed to the Monroe Township’s Public Information Officer Stacey Kennedy at 732-521-4400 or
