Bridgewater, NJ - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 7/29/2020
Contact: Chief Stephen Beecher, NJSACOP ACE Chairman
Email: sbeecher@mopd.org
Phone: 973-691-0900 ext. 7558
2020 NJSACOP ACE Certification Program Update
ACE (Accredited Chief/Command Executive) Certification Program Awards
The New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police awarded certification status to five (5) deserving police executives this July. Certification Status lasts for three years. At the end of that period, Command Executives and Chiefs of Police must show they have maintained the training and leadership standards since their initial award of certification. Achieving Command Executives join a select group, only thirty three percent (33%) of state police chiefs are certified; and only twenty nine percent (29%) of municipalities have certified command executives. Each applicant below recently underwent peer reviews conducted by the NJSACOP Accredited Chief/Command Executive (ACE) Program and has successfully earned the following designations:
ACE-COP (ACCREDITED COMMAND EXECUTIVE-CHIEF OF POLICE):
Bridgewater Township Police Chief Paul S. Payne
Chief Paul Payne received his initial certification in May of this year while holding the rank of Captain. On July 6, 2020 the Bridgewater Township Council unanimously approved his promotion to Chief. He received his Accreditation as Chief following his promotion. Chief Payne has served Bridgewater Township as a police officer for twenty two (22) years. He served as Acting Chief of Police since December 1, 2019. Chief Payne received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Thomas Edison Sate College in 2013. He is a graduate of the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police 18th Session of the Police Executive Institute; and the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police Command and Leadership Program. Prior to his appointment as a Police Officer he served in the United States Marine Corps as a Military Police Officer.
ACE (ACCREDITED COMMAND EXECUTIVE):
Bridgewater Township Police Lieutenant Sean B. O’Neill
Bridgewater Township Police Lieutenant Sean B. O’Neill has served as a police officer for twenty two (22) years. This is his initial certification. Lieutenant O’Neill received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Monmouth University in 1996. He received a Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice Education from the University of Virginia in 2019. Presently he is in the Legal Studies Program through the California University of Pennsylvania. It is expected he will graduate with a Master’s Degree with a concentration in Homeland Security in 2021. Lieutenant O’Neill is certified as a School, Resource Officer and Accreditation Manager. He is a graduate of the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police Command and Leadership Program and is a graduate of the 276th Session of the FBI’s National Academy. Lt. O’Neill served with the United States Marine Corps Reserves from 1995 to 2001.Since March of 2020 he has served as Acting Captain with the Bridgewater Police Department.
The NJSACOP ACE Certification Program directly encourages New Jersey's law enforcement executives to attain sanctioned benchmarks in pursuit of a recommended standard for police leadership that are measurable and attainable. By offering proof of these standards to NJSACOP Assessors, individual police leaders can attain NJSACOP Accredited Chief/Command Executive (ACE) Certification Status.
NJSACOP ACE Chairman, Chief Stephen Beecher stated: "The ACE Certification Program is in keeping with the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics, the 21st Century Report and Recommendations on Policing and the state association's declared philosophy; the Certification Program measures essential proofs in three areas for the ACE and ACE-COP Certification, and in five areas for the ACE-COP Advanced Certification. If it is merited, NJACOP awards individual leadership accredited status based on those appraisals. The ACE Program also promotes and encourages continued education through ACE Re-Certification Program requirements."
It is the policy of the NJSACOP to promote professional competence, continued education and career development among all members of law enforcement and in particularly amongst our leaders. In order to achieve this goal the NJSACOP encourages current, future and retired chiefs and police executives to participate in the ACE Certification Program.
The New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police (NJSACOP) is a professional membership organization serving New Jersey's law enforcement and private security executives. Our core mission is to promote and enhance the highest ethical and professional standards in law enforcement at all levels throughout New Jersey. For more information visit www.njsacop.org.
