McCarthy named acting R.B. police chief

RED BANK — Borough officials confirmed during the Nov. 9 Borough Council meeting that Police Chief Mark Fitzgerald has filed for retirement.

Fitzgerald, who has been chief for the past seven years, is currently on vacation, using up accrued time off. In his absence, he appointed Capt. Steven McCarthy as acting chief.

Councilman and Police Commissioner Arthur V. Murphy III said Fitzgerald plans to retire by the end of the year.

Borough officials made no mention of Fitzgerald's retirement until community activist and resident David Prown questioned the council.

Prown asked council to "explain the transition that's taking place in the department."

"He's still the chief. He's on vacation and could always change his mind [about retiring]," said Borough Administrator Stanley Sickels.

In an effort to reduce the tension in the room, Sickels explained that the reluctance of borough officials to discuss the matter is because it's a personnel issue and, under New Jersey law, cannot be discussed without permission from the individual in question.

According to Murphy, Fitzgerald has been with the department for 34 years.

"He was talking about retiring and going on some interviews with private security firms.

"I understand he put in his [retirement] papers a while ago," Murphy said.

Murphy said that McCarthy, who heads the detective bureau and serves as department spokesman, has been in charge since Nov. 6.

In response to Prown's inquiry, Murphy said the department would likely promote from within, choosing the next chief from the pool of the department's four captains.

Murphy said the police committee, consisting of himself and council members Michael DuPont and Sharon Lee, would interview the captains interested in filling Fitzgerald's position and would then make a recommendation to the council and mayor.

The pool of candidates consists of Mc- Carthy, head of the criminal investigations division; Darren McConnell, head of traffic safety; Peter DeFazio, head of the patrol and internal affairs divisions; and Thomas McDonough, head of the service division.

"He [Fitzgerald] recommended that McCarthy be named acting chief, but any one of them could be chief," Murphy said.

Murphy said he hopes the new chief would be sworn in at the borough government's annual reorganization meeting to be held on Jan. 1.

Murphy spoke of the service Fitzgerald has given to the borough.

"He's an outstanding individual to work with. He's very thorough and very well respected among his men and throughout the county," Murphy said of Fitzgerald.

A graduate of St. James Elementary School, Red Bank Catholic High School, The College of New Jersey's Criminal Justice program, and Northwestern University's Traffic Institute, Fitzgerald, who was raised in Shrewsbury, worked as a dispatcher before beginning his career as an officer with the Red Bank police in 1975.

Fitzgerald was promoted to police detective in 1985, to sergeant in 1990, to lieutenant in 1992 and to captain in 1998, also leading the detective bureau, before being named chief in July 2003. He had replaced Chief James Clayton, whose career spanned 33 years.