VIDEO: Manchester Police Promote 2 Officers

Two veteran Manchester Police Department officers were promoted at a special ceremony held before the March 28 town council meeting.

Friends, family, fellow officers and township officials were present to witness officers Lisa Parker and James Komsa take the oath for their new positions.

Parker was promoted from lieutenant to captain, the rank previously held by current Chief of Police Brian Klimakowski, who spoke briefly about the officers before township attorney Steven Secare swore each in. 

Parker, a graduate of Stockton College in Pomona, began with the department in 1989, as the fourth female officer to join the force, Klimakowski said. She is now the only remaining female officer.

"She is most known for her work in training officers in the investigation and prosecution of domestic violence," the chief said. 

Parker became a lieutenant in 2007, and among her many recognitions with the department is a Manchester Township Police Chief's Award, Klimakowski said.

Parker's family has long been involved in law enforcement. Her father is a retired chief of police from Stafford Township, one brother serves Stafford currently and another is retired from the department. Her husband is a retired captain from the Ocean County Prosecutors Office. 

"I've been very, very fortunate and very blessed," Parker said. "I'm here because of my law enforcement family ... I can't say how proud I am of these guys."

A Manchester native, Komsa joined Manchester's force 11 years ago after working for the Seaside Heights and Lakehurst police departments. He was promoted from patrolman to sergeant.

"Jimmy (Komsa) has unbelievable standards in his work," Klimakowski said. "His work ethic is unbelievable."

Komsa received an employee recognition award given by Manchester Mayor Michael Fressola in 2010. The chief said that he is confident Komsa will succeed in his new position.

"I know he's going to do a really good job," Klimakowski said.  "He's going to be a tremendous asset to the police department."

Following his oath, Komsa addressed those in attendance.

"I've been fortunate to have a host of people — fellow officers, family members and friends — who have supported me through this process," he said. "I look forward to contributing to the future of our agency and I'm honored to work with the finest officers in the state of New Jersey."

Council President Craig Wallis congratulated both officers during the town council meeting following the ceremony.

"It's well deserved," he said. "If you think that we're just promoting people left and right, that doesn't happen."

Wallis said that the last officer promotions happened over four years ago and it was now necessary to move some officers up in the ranks.

"It's been an awful long time, and we've had an awful lot of officers retire. We've lost seniors officers and sergeants and patrolmen," Wallis said. "So it's about time we're able to promote some of these people who have been officers for a long time."