2 Promoted To Captain In Berkeley Police Department

BERKELEY, NJ — Two Berkeley police lieutenants were recently promoted to the rank of captain.

Lieutenants Peter F. La Rocca and Ryan K. Roth, both of whom have worked as Berkeley police for more than 20 years, were promoted at a recent Township meeting, police said.

La Rocca is a 1996 graduate of Piscataway Township High School. After graduation, he enlisted in the United States Air Force as an Intelligence Analyst.

Upon his honorable discharge, La Rocca attended the Somerset County Police Academy as an officer with the UMDNJ (now Rutgers) Police Department.

La Rocca was hired by Berkeley police in 2001 as a patrolman. He has served many roles since: traffic safety officer in 2003, an undercover investigator in the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force in 2006, Berkeley detective specializing in narcotics and burglary investigations in 2007.

He was promoted to patrol sergeant in 2011, and again worked in the detective bureau as detective sergeant in 2014.

In 2018, La Rocca was promoted to detective lieutenant. "In this capacity he continued in the detective bureau as he supervised major cases and served as multi-agency task force leader for many investigations," police said.

In this position, La Rocca also performed the duties of: Internal Affairs investigator, Agency Body Worn Camera program manager, Accreditation Manager, Public Information Officer and Social Media Officer, Neighborhood Watch Coordinator, Special Law Enforcement Officer Manager, Homeland Security Agency Representative, Supervising Humane Law Enforcement Officer and Supervisor of Animal Control.

La Rocca has an associate degree in Communications and is 2020 graduate of the Command and Leadership Academy.

La Rocca is a Life Member of the VFW, a Life Member of the Disabled American Veterans, a member of the NJ Narcotics Enforcement Officers Association and a 5-year rider for the Police Unity Tour. La Rocca is also a member of the American Legion and the NAACP.

Roth is a lifelong resident of Berkeley, having graduated from Central Regional High School in 1996.

He attended The College of New Jersey, but left to become a patrolman for Berkeley Township Police in March of 2000. He finished his bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice with the University of Phoenix and is now pursuing a master's degree in finance with Kansas State University.

Roth became a traffic safety officer in 2003 and was promoted to sergeant in 2008. During this time, Roth's primary duty was evening supervisor. Roth also had additional duties of grant writing and domestic violence liaison. In this role, Roth taught elder abuse investigation throughout the state.

Roth was promoted to lieutenant of dayshift in 2012 and has been supervisor of traffic safety from 2012 to 2022.

He is now the captain of the patrol division.

"Best of luck to both Captains in their new roles within the agency!" Berkeley police said.