BERGEN POLICE FORCE SWEARS NEW CHIEF

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Sunday, March 15, 1992

The Record (New Jersey) | All Editions | NEWS | A07

Joel Trella has been sworn as chief of the Bergen County Police Department, where he has spent his entire 23-year law enforcement career. He had been acting chief since October, when Chief Peter Neillands retired.

Eighteen newly promoted officers also were sworn Wednesday.

Trella began his career with the department in 1969, going on to serve in practically every division. As sergeant in charge of training, he developed the program for all K-9 work.

He was a trainer at the Bergen County Police and Fire Academy in Mahwah until 1987, when he became a tour commander. Then, after a stint in charge of police training at the academy, he became a supervisor of investigations with the Special Services Unit, a detective bureau. He held that position until he replaced Neillands.

Trella, 45, was born in Georgia and raised in the City of Passaic. He is a graduate of Garfield High School and Bergen Community College, where he received an associate degree in criminal justice.

Trella, a certified public manager and Navy veteran, has lived in Saddle Brook for the past 20 years. He is married and has two children.

The Bergen County Police Department begun as a one-person motorcycle patrol in 1917 is a 90-member force that handles law-enforcement chores that are too expensive or complicated for local departments to handle alone, as well as security at county-owned buildings and patrol of county highways. The department includes the K-9 unit, a SWAT team, a scuba-diving team, and a narcotics task force.

Promoted to captain were James Byrne, John Schmidig, and Edward Schmalz. New lieutenants are Paul Ortenzio, Victor Cuttitta, Steven Babiak, Paul Kohl, Uwe Malakas, Paul Hammell, Scott Storms, Frank Prelich, Joseph Kersting, James Spahr, Kevin Hartnett, and Marc Fenech. Promoted to sergeant were Stephen Blehl, Jean Rothenberger, and George Gibbs.

Notes: Bergen page

ID: 17371509 | Copyright © 1992, The Record (New Jersey)