MANCHESTER – Three senior officers earned new stripes that brought together many of the officers in the township during a special ceremony which took place in the Municipal Complex.
The three veteran officers were Lt. Robert Dolan who was promoted to captain, detective Sergeant Chris Hemhauser who was promoted to lieutenant, and Patrolman Chris Cerullo who advanced to patrol sergeant.
Mayor Kenneth T. Palmer administered their oaths of office in the presence of family, friends, police personnel and township officials.
Capt. Dolan began his career with the township’s police department in 1993 as a dispatcher. A year later he became a patrolman and earned the rank of sergeant in 2004. He was promoted to lieutenant in 2011.
Among the departmental projects Dolan managed were the construction of a $6 million township-wide radio system and the implementation of the Spillman Computer Aided Dispatch and Record Management System. His current assignment is the development and implementation of the Division of EMS which encompasses Emergency Medical Services and Fire. This program launched on March 1.
Dolan holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Rutgers University, a master’s degree in administrative science from Fairleigh Dickinson University and is a Qualified Purchasing Agent as well as a NJ Certified Public Manager. He earned numerous law enforcement related awards and commendations throughout his career.
Lt. Hemhauser began his career with the department in 1996 as a dispatcher and took his oath as a patrolman in 2001. He served as a field training officer, dedicated a combined seven years to the Manchester and Ocean County Regional SWAT teams, and was assigned to the Investigations Bureau in 2006. After nine years as a detective, he was promoted to detective sergeant in 2015. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Stockton University, and a master’s degree from Farleigh Dickinson University.
In addition, Hemhauser is a member of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Arson Task Force, a member of the Manchester Police Honor Guard and has also earned numerous law enforcement related awards and commendations throughout his career.
Sgt. Cerullo was hired as a patrolman in 2007, and holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, and a master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Seton Hall University.
Over the course of his career, Cerullo has actively worked with the school district, serving as the School Resource Officer for the past four years. Along with a select group of officers, he was instrumental in the development of the #NotEvenOnce high school opiate awareness program for which he serves as an instructor.
Cerullo also created the curriculum for the Manchester Youth Police Academy, a successful summer day camp program launched in 2015. He also serves on the department’s school safety and security assessment committee.
“This proud day would not be possible without the continued support of Mayor Palmer and the Township Council. They recognized the need for a township-administered EMS Division, and these promotions are a part of the reconfiguration of our Police Department to make that happen,” Police Chief Lisa D. Parker said. “We wish Capt. Dolan, Lt. Hemhauser, and Sgt. Cerullo the best of luck as they begin the next chapters in their law enforcement careers here in Manchester Township.”
