Manalapan Appoints New Police Chief, Deputy Chief In 2021

MANALAPAN, NJ - Multiple new appointments were made in Manalapan Township during an outdoor ceremony on Wednesday, with familiar faces stepping in new roles like police chief, deputy chief and police captain.

Shari Rose was sworn in as the new municipal clerk, while a slew of positions were filled in the Manalapan Township Police Department: Edward Niesz was promoted to Chief of Police, Leonard Maltese was promoted to Deputy Chief, Thomas Mantle was promoted to Captain and Michael Hoppock was promoted to Lieutenant.

These promotions were all made due to recent retirements, most notably the retirement of former chief Michael Fountain, who served in Manalapan for 27 years.

“The previous employees who held these positions left tremendously big shoes to fill, however we are confident that Ms. Rose, Chief Niesz, Deputy Chief Maltese, Captain Mantle, and Lieutenant Hoppock will all continue to do an amazing job for Manalapan,” the township wrote in a statement. “We want to congratulate them all for their accomplishments, and we wish them nothing but continued success in the future!”

You can learn more about the Chief of Police, Deputy Chief, Captain and Lieutenant below, courtesy of the Manalapan Township Police Department:

Chief of Police Edward Niesz

Chief Edward Niesz began his law enforcement as a college intern with the U.S. Customs Office
of Enforcement working with Special Agents in Newark. Following his graduation, he was hired by the Conrail Police Department and worked as a Railroad Special Agent in Northern New Jersey and New York until he was hired by the Manalapan Township Police Department in 1996.

Niesz has held numerous positions and responsibilities within the Manalapan Police Department including Professional Standards Officer, Civilian/Volunteer Coordinator, Active Shooter Response Instructor, Accident Review Committee, Evidence Officer, Homeland Security Liaison, Bias Crime Officer, Field Training Officer, Firearms/Rifle Instructor and Armorer, O.C. Instructor, Bike Patrol Officer, Tactical Team member, Computer Officer, Uniform Crime Reporting Officer, Terminal Access Control.

Niesz has worked in Patrol as a Detective, Sergeant, Lieutenant Watch Commander and has been the Captain as the Administrative Division Commander prior to his last assignment as the Patrol Division Commander in being appointed Chief of Police in February 2021.

Niesz is a graduate of Kean University with a Bachelors of Arts in Public Administration, and Fairleigh Dickinson University with a Masters of Public Administration. He is a graduate of Somerset County Police Academy. He is a recent graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy Session 279 and also completed the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar, the Penn State Police Executive Training, and the New Jersey State Association Chief Of Police Executive Leadership Course. Chief Niesz assisted with the department's CALEA Accreditation program since 2007 then the NJSACOP Accreditation in 2015.

Deputy Chief Leonard Maltese

Deputy Chief Maltese joined the police department in December 2003 after graduating from the
Monmouth County Police Academy. He served as a Patrolman until his selection to the Detective Bureau in 2009. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2013 and became the Detective Sergeant in 2015.

Maltese was promoted to Lieutenant in 2016 and served as a patrol watch commander. In February 2019, Maltese was promoted to Captain where he was in charge of the Administrative Division of the police department. As the Deputy Chief, Maltese will be assigned as the Operation Division Commander.

Captain Thomas Mantle

Captain Mantle was hired by the Manalapan Township Police Department in July 1998 and served in the Patrol Division until he became a detective and was assigned to the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force in 2005.

Upon his return in 2006, he was assigned to the Detective Bureau and also served as president of PBA Local 229. In January 2013, Mantle was promoted to sergeant and returned to the Patrol Division. In February 2015 he attained the rank of lieutenant. In January 2017, Mantle graduated from the FBI National Academy, 267 th session.

Lieutenant Michael Hoppock

Lt. Hoppock began his career with the Manalapan Township Police Department in 2003. He worked as a patrolman until 2012, when he was assigned to the Investigations Bureau as a Detective. In 2013, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and assigned back to the patrol division, where he remained until 2019 when he was assigned to supervise the Detective Bureau as Detective Sergeant. He remained in that role until his promotion in February, 2021 to the rank of Lieutenant, where he will serve as a watch commander in the patrol division.