New chief aims to elevate department

Fully committed to the safety and protection of township residents, recently appointed West Milford Police Chief Shannon Sommerville aims to elevate the Police Department to the next level of service, performance and accountability.

Since becoming chief Jan. 3, he is spearheading several new initiatives to ensure the highest standards of policing.

Sommerville had served as interim police chief since the retirement of James DeVore last year,

He joined the department in 2005 and moved through the ranks handling all line duties, including patrol, investigation, administration, supervision and operations management.

“As our community, society and policing evolve, we have to stay ahead of the curve,” said Sommerville, who reports to Township Administrator Bill Senande.

He also is the township public safety director and oversees the local Volunteer Fire Department and Ambulance Corps.

“We continue to work through challenges and ongoing changes in policing, mandates, regulations, legislation and directives put into place from the state and elsewhere. We now have a new mission statement that articulates our priorities and goals.”

Lots of turnover

The department will consist of 46 officers after the planned retirement of one senior member. Two supervisors may be promoted later this year.

The civilian staff includes Sommerville’s staff assistant, three records employees, and four full-time and four part-time dispatchers.

The COVID-19 pandemic produced a sizeable turnover, which prompted the hiring of 18 new officers, mostly junior patrol personnel. The senior patrol officers have been mentoring and training the newcomers.

Along with Sommerville’s appointment as chief, recent promotions have included Anthony Parello to captain, Matthew Kloo to lieutenant and Jonathan Bregman to sergeant.

“We are doing a lot of work compiling information for the new state police licensing requirement, which went into effect on January 1,” Sommerville said. “Officers in New Jersey must now comply with licensing every three years, so we must efficiently structure the process and preparation for our officers.

“A significant initiative is gaining accreditation from CALEA (Commission on the Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies) and the New Jersey State Associations of Chiefs of Police, which is a big undertaking that takes approximately two years to achieve.

“This is a first-line priority and supports our mission statement as well as the township at large. It increases community advocacy, better protects against civil lawsuits, reduces risk and liability exposure, and installs greater accountability on the WMPD and our officers. I’m a big fan of accountability.”

Last week, Sommerville met with the Township Council to adopt a resolution for the department’s acceptance of $50,000 grant from Morris County Joint Insurance Fund to strengthen risk mitigation.

Community policing

As part of the department’s core values, Sommerville believes in a community-oriented approach to law enforcement that focuses on building positive relationships and being accessible, responsive and transparent.

The adoption of more proactive policing strategies has led to a greater focus on intervention, education and prevention in addition to enforcement, he said.

“It’s important to work collaboratively with the community to build trust and foster open communication. We actively seek input, engage in problem-solving, and strive to address the interests and concerns of our residents.”

In recent years, the Police Department has introduced police youth engagement programs to help deal with trauma, such as “Handle with Care” in partnership with the school district. This program bridges the gap between the juvenile’s out-of-school and in-school life and provides an opportunity to receive additional support and guidance.

A full-time school resource officer, Sue Novakowski, is permanently detailed to the school district and acts as a liaison between the Police Department and schools to improve lines of communication and school-police relations.

The department participates in the L.E.A.D (Law Enforcement Against Drugs) program, in which officers partner with educators to create a safer and healthier community, with the goal of eliminating drugs, bullying, and violence.

Last year, with the opening of the Hope Institute in Bald Eagle Commons, Sommerville met with founder Dustin Baarck to further help citizens who suffer from drug addiction.

Project Medicine Drop, which is in the Police Department lobby, allows for the easy disposal of unused and expired medications anonymously seven days a week.

Junior Police Academy

In July, the department will hold the first Junior Police Academy at the high school and middle school complex for children ages 11-13. Initially, about 30 participants will be selected from an application process that will include written essays.

“We want kids to better understand policing and that police are here to help, not to fear,” Sommerville said. “We’ll teach about our work and run them through scaled-down physical training, military drills, marching and practices. Our Fire Department and Ambulance Corps, along with Passaic County and State Police, will join our officers as instructors and to foster positive interactions.”

Later this year, Sommerville plans to introduce quarterly community conversations at various community centers.

“Ours is an open-door policy,” he said. “New quarterly town halls will be forums for discussion and presentation on relevant topics, including crime prevention, fielding suggestions and complaints, and encouraging genuine and valuable conversations.”

In cooperation with Passaic County Sheriff’s Department, which has received a grant to install auto license plate readers (ALPRs) on county roads and police vehicles, West Milford police will be able to deploy cameras on township roads and vehicles.

The cameras, which interface with county computer servers, will significantly benefit overall law enforcement, Sommerville said.

West Milford native

Sommerville, 45, was raised and educated in West Milford and took part in football, wrestling and track in high school.

He and his wife, Annette, have three young daughters.

He holds bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice and exercise physiology from Thomas Edison University.

His love of physical training led him to study Tae Kwon Do and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. After college, while working as a physical trainer and martial arts instructor, his longstanding interest in law enforcement was furthered by a family member who is a warden for the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department.

Next was the police exam and the start of his career with the West Milford Police Department.

As a junior officer, Sommerville served on patrol for seven years before being promoted to sergeant, then to both patrol lieutenant and administrative lieutenant. He spent three and a half years as captain before being named interim chief at DeVore’s retirement.

Duties of department

The West Milford Police Department comprises patrol, its largest division, which responds to service calls and incidents among other duties on a 24/7 basis.

The Detective Division under acting Sgt. Donald Fantasia reviews all incident reports to prioritize and investigate criminal activity.

Patrol officers handle a variety of incidents, low- and high-risk, involving domestic violence, traffic accidents, speeding, driving while intoxicated, assaults, illegal drugs, warrants, missing persons, and more - leading to citations, arrests and investigations when appropriate.

All officers carry Narcan to address drug overdoses and work with fire and EMT teams on medical and other emergencies.

Support Services, led by Sgt. Steven Herzog and under the command of Administrative Lt. Kloo, supervises field-training officers who prepare and develop probationary officers for duty, including solo patrol safety, among other duties.

Animal control and wildlife matters are under the supervision of Detective Andrew Petrucelli.

Capt. Parello, who is responsible for day-to-day department operations, also has oversight of all department training and education, which Sommerville noted is essential on an ongoing basis to ensure efficient, productive and safe policing.

The department’s Special Operations Unit has a dive team for water rescues and recoveries, SWAT, crisis and hostage negotiation, honor guard, and drug recognition.

Going forward, one officer in a six-month rotation will engage with the federal Department of Homeland Security and the Drug Enforcement Administration to gain experience and training.

“We police the largest township by area in New Jersey, 81 square miles, and protect more than 24,000 residents,” Sommerville said. “We also protect community and school events, which is essential for crowd and personal safety.”

Emergency alerts are issued on social media to inform residents.

Last year, the department dealt with two major incidents:

• The Kanouse Forest Fire, which was the largest in West Milford’s history. It burned nearly 1,000 acres in several days.

• A home explosion in Upper Greenwood Lake that injured five people.

Both incidents required officers to deploy extensively and work with the Fire Department and local, county and state emergency services agencies.

Somerville is especially concerned about the rise in scams that affect residents, especially senior citizens, via phone, online and in-person approaches.

“Scams are on the rise significantly, and it breaks my heart to learn of people who are hurt by giving money and personal information to criminals,” he said. “This is going to be a major part of our community outreach and quarterly conversations and ongoing emphasis with investigations and enforcement.”

Sommerville defines his job as setting the policies, procedures and practices of the department, acquiring the right resources, interfacing with various government agencies on a local and state level, and making sure the chain of command is followed by his leaders, officers and staff.

“Ultimately, I’m here to ensure the WMPD is doing its job effectively and productively: protecting and serving our community to the best of our ability professionally, respectfully and with accountability.”

CORRECTION: The size of West Milford was incorrect in an earlier version of this article.