6 New Officers Join The Parsippany Police Department

PARSIPPANY, NJ — Six new police officers have officially been sworn in, marking their official welcome to the Parsippany Police Department.

The officers were sworn into the police force on Dec. 27 during a ceremony conducted by Mayor James Barberio.

The recruits are Thomas Lally, Shalin Patel, Ryan McConnell, Robert Hockey, Jr., Richard Nicoletti and Nicholas Santangelo. All six of them will now have to attend the Morris County Public Safety Training Academy before officially joining the ranks, authorities said.

“This is a very proud day for me,” Barberio said. “This is a great group of young men, and I have seen them grow up. I know they will excel at the Police Training Academy and continue to make Parsippany proud.”

This new round of police hires follows the hiring of five officers earlier this summer.

The Parsippany Police Department has been described as understaffed as a result of the previous administration's hiring freeze, which reduced the town to 81 deployable officers from more than 100 five years ago.

The municipal budget for 2023-24, which was approved in May, includes funding for five additional police officers.

Although council members were divided on the township budget, Barberio emphasized during budget hearings that the proposal addressed public safety by adding more police officers to the force.

The Parsippany Police Department has a chain of command that includes a Chief of Police, Deputy Chief of Police, Captains, Lieutenants, Sergeants, Detectives, Patrol Officers, Class II and III (part-time) Special Law Enforcement Officers (SLEOs), Public Safety Telecommunicators (dispatchers), and civilian personnel.