Jackson police department announces promotions at township council meeting

Jackson Police Department announces promotions at township council meeting

by
July 13, 2025
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The Jackson Township Police Department promoted four officers during a township council meeting held on July 8, recognizing years of service, leadership, and dedication to law enforcement and the local community.

Public Safety Director Joseph Candido and Chief Matthew Kunz announced the following promotions:

Lieutenant Robert Reiff
Lt. Reiff, a Jackson Memorial High School graduate and Jackson resident since 1968, began his law enforcement career in 2001. He served in the patrol division and later in the Detective Bureau, where he earned several departmental honors, including the 2016 Detective of the Year award. A former member of the Special Response Team and Ocean County Regional SWAT, Reiff is also a firearms instructor. He now returns to the Investigations Services Division as Detective Lieutenant.

Lieutenant John Rodriguez
Lt. Rodriguez moved to Jackson from Staten Island in 1997 and joined the department in 2003 after graduating valedictorian from the Ocean County Police Academy. He served on the Ocean County Regional SWAT and specialized in sexual assault investigations during his time as a detective. Rodriguez holds multiple departmental awards and has served as PBA president and Superior Officer’s union president. He now assumes the role of Alpha / Charlie 1 Platoon Commander.

Sergeant Ryan Gladysz
Sgt. Gladysz joined the department in 2018 after serving in the New Jersey Department of Corrections. A Jackson Memorial High School graduate, he received the academy’s “Top Shot” award and was later named “FTO of the Year” in 2024. A member of the Special Response Team and the agency’s Bike Unit, Gladysz recently earned a lifesaving award for resuscitating a 9-month-old child. He will now serve as a patrol division supervisor.

Sergeant John Roth
Sgt. Roth, a Marine Corps Reserve veteran with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, began his law enforcement career in Seaside Heights. After joining the Jackson Police Department in 2016, he earned recognition including the Kimberly Smith Ames DWI Prevention Award and the MADD DWI Award. He is active in crisis intervention, veteran support programs, and defensive tactics instruction. Roth will now supervise a squad in the patrol division.

Four officers were elevated in rank during a Jackson Township council meeting, reflecting long-standing service and community engagement.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton

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