Howell Police Welcome New Officers To Force

HOWELL, NJ — The Howell Township Police Department has seven new officers and three officers have been promoted after a ceremony during a special Howell Township Council meeting last week.

The new officers were selected from a pool of 500 applicants, Police Chief Andrew Kudrick said.

Both the new and promoted officers scored the highest on a rigorous, demanding, and stressful promotional/hiring process. Kudrick spoke at the ceremony and congratulated all the officers on an incredible achievement, Howell Detective Sgt. Christian Antunez said.

The promoted officers were:

Joseph Markulic: Promoted to lieutenant. Lt. Markulic began his law enforcement career in 1996 as a Special I Law Enforcement Officer in Dewey Beach, Delaware. He was hired by the Howell Police Department as a patrolman in 1997. He spent four years in the detective bureau from 2001-2005 and has been a member of the Howell Police Honor Guard since that time. He was promoted to sergeant in 2005 and was assigned to the Traffic Safety division until last year when he was assigned to the patrol division. Lt. Markulic has a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from Farleigh Dickinson University where is currently enrolled in a master’s degree program. He is the recipient of numerous awards to include multiple Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) DWI awards, Monmouth County Traffic Association Officer of the Year and a Howell Police life-saving award.

Michael Popek: Promoted to sergeant. Sgt. Popek was hired as patrolman for the Howell Police Department in December 2007. He has worked in the patrol division evening shift his entire career. He has received numerous unit citations throughout his career as well as a Monmouth County 200 Club Award for life-saving efforts. Sgt. Popek graduated from Freehold Township High School and obtained a bachelor’s degree in law and justice studies from Rowan University. He is currently enrolled in a master’s degree program at Seton Hall University in police graduate studies.

John Lopez: Promoted to sergeant. Sgt. Lopez began his law enforcement career in 1996 as sheriff’s officer for the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Department. He left the MCSD and went to work as a police officer for
the Rutgers University Police Department for a brief period before being hired as a police officer in Howell Township in 1998. Sgt. Lopez served on the Monmouth County Emergency Response Team (SWAT)
for four years. He served for 10 years as one of the original K9 handlers for Howell force with his K9 partner Jett. He is the current commander of the HTPD Honor Guard, a field training officer, firearms instructor and advisor for the Explorer Post. He has an associate’s degree in criminal justice from the Division of Criminal Justice Academy in Sea Girt. Sgt. Lopez also served in the National Guard/Air Force for 23 years, retiring as a master sergeant.

New officers:

Nathan Headd: Patrolman Headd comes to Howell from the Camden County Police Department. He was a member of the United States Marines Corps serving in Operation Enduring Freedom in the initial invasion after 9/11. He also became an All-Marine Boxer for his last two years before his honorable discharge. He is currently enlisted in the New Jersey Army National Guard and holds the rank of first lieutenant. Ptl. Headd holds a master's degree in political science with a concentration on international relations from Rutgers University.

Travis Horton: Patrolman Horton was born and raised in Lacey Township. In April 2011 he started his law enforcement career in Point Pleasant Beach as a parking enforcement officer. He graduated from the Ocean County Police Academy in 2011 and worked for Point Pleasant Beach and Lacey Township as a Class II Police Officer before going to work as a full-time police officer in Little Falls. Horton is a recipient of the MADD DWI award as well as a life-saving award. He holds an associate’s degree in business/finance from Ocean County College.

Daniel Bozza: Ptl. Bozza comes to Howell from the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office where he was a detective. He is a staff sergeant in the United States Marine Corps and was deployed four times during Operation Iraqi Freedom as a Huey helicopter crew chief. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Ashford University in criminal justice and is currently completing a master's degree in business administration, security management from Keller University.

Angelo Trento: Born and raised in Jamesburg, Patrolman Trento comes to Howell from the Philadelphia Police Department where he worked as a police officer. He graduated from Monroe Township High School in 2009. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminology/sociology from Wilkes University and a master's degree in criminal justice/homeland security from Monmouth University.

Eric Otten: Patrolman Otten began is law enforcement career at the Bradley Beach Police Department in 2012 as a Class I Police Officer before transferring to the Matawan Borough Police Dept. in 2015 as a Class II Police Officer. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health and Physical Education from Monmouth University. He was also a Captain of the Marlboro Township Police Explorer Post, which he joined at the age of 14.

Daniel Davison: Patrolman Davison is a lifelong Howell resident who began his law enforcement career as a Special Law Enforcement Officer in Point Pleasant before being hired by Neptune Township PD. He graduated Howell High School in 2010 and holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, graduating cum laude from Johnson & Wales University.

Christopher Gashlin: Patrolman Gashlin from Toms River began his law enforcement career in Seaside Heights as a parking enforcement officer before advancing to a Class I then Class II Police Officer there. He is currently enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program at New Jersey City University in national security studies.

Main photo: Left to right, Patrolmen Travis Horton, Angelo Trento, Nathan Headd, Dan Bozza, Police Chief Andrew Kudrick, Patrolmen Chris Gashlin, Eric Otten, Dan Davison. Photo courtesy of Howell Township Police Department