Brick Police Officers Olsen, Rossi Honored

BRICK, NJ — Brick Township Sgt. Erik Olsen and Patrolman Joseph Rossi received the police department's highest honors at the department's annual awards ceremony on Friday night.

Olsen, who has worked for the police department since being hired as a dispatcher in 1999 received the Lt. Thomas McNelis Award, while Rossi, who has been with the department since December 2007, received the Patrolman of the Year Award, named this year for the first time for Patrolman Kris DeMarco.

McNelis, who died in 1996 at age 41, "always knew the right thing to do and he always did it," then-Police Chief Ronald Dougard said, according to an Asbury Park Press article following McNelis's death. He supervised the midnight patrol shift, and was known for his reliable and sensible approach to the job, Dougard said.

The award that honors his name is presented to a supervising officer each year. Olsen, who became a patrolman in August 2000, joined the township's Selective Enforcement Team in 2009 and becamc its supervisor in 2015, when he was promoted to sergeant.

The nominating letter called Olsen "a highly motivated police officer inspiring all who have worked with him."

As head of the Selective Enforcement Team, he was charged with tackling isssues of gang and drug activity, as well as quality of life and traffic issues, the letter said. He has developed plans to attack those issues and demonstrated the ability to maintain his composure in high-stress situations, the letter said. In 2016 the SET team made 260 arrests, inclucing 141 related to drugs, the letter said.

Olsen "demonstrates the traits which Lt. Thomas McNelis possessed. He is well-liked by other officers and supervisors. Newer officers look to (him) for advice which he offers without hesitation. ... He is highly respected by his officers and his integrity has never been questioned.:

Rossi, who serves on the Special Emergency Response Team, the Motor Unit, the Honor Guard, the Marine Unit and the Bicycle Unit, "carries himself with pride and dignity," the nominating letter said. He has served as a field training officer, teaching new officers how to stay safe and perform the duties of the job. "An officer is selected as a field training officer because the supervisors want the new officers to learn and emulate them," the letter said.

Rossi also was close friends with DeMarco, 38, who died in early 2016 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He had been on the Brick police force for 12 years. The Police Officer of the Year Award was named for DeMarco a few months later.

Both Rossi and Olsen are involved with the township's Police Benevolent Association and have assisted in many of its events, including the veterans' breakfast and Toys for Tots drive, according to their nominating letters.

Photo via Brick Township Police Department