Funeral Services Set For Beloved Manchester Police Officer

Funeral services for Manchester Township Police Officer Scott R. Thompson have been scheduled for later this week.

Thompson, 47, collapsed Friday morning while working out in the gym at the police department, Police Chief Lisa Parker said.

Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday at Oliverie Funeral Home, 2925 Ridgeway Road, Manchester, according to the funeral home. The funeral service will begin at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Luke Roman Catholic Church, 1674 Old Freehold Road, Toms River, with entombment to follow at Ocean County Memorial Park, Toms River.

Thompson, who lived in Beachwood with his wife, Tracy, and daughters Kelsey and Sydney, was born in Ridgewood and lived in Jackson from 1994 until 2002, when he moved to Beachwood. He had worked in law enforcement since 1986, starting as a special officer in Seaside Park, and after graduating from the Ocean County Police Academy in 1987, joined the South Toms River Police Department in 1988 and then moved to the Lakehurst Police Department in 1994. He joined the Manchester force in 1999.

During his career, Thompson, a member of Manchester PBA 246, received numerous awards, including the 2014 Meritorious Service Award in Manchester for peacefully resolving a volatile situation. He also received the Meritorious Service Award from the Lakehurst Police Department; the Exceptional Service Award from both South Toms River and Manchester police departments; a Letter of Commendation from Lakehurst; two Unit Citation Awards, one from the Manchester Detective Bureau and one as a field training officer; 15 positive performance notices, three lifesaving awards from Manchester and an Honorable Service award. He also was honored with a Master Firearms Award and the Chiefs Award from Manchester.

He was slated to be promoted to the rank of corporal before he died, Police Chief Lisa Parker said. He will be receiving that honor posthumously at a ceremony at a later date, she said.

In addition to his wife and daughters, Thompson is survived by his mother, Gail McManamy and husband Thomas of Leland, N.C.; his father, Richard of Naples, Fla.; two sisters, Christine Kotler of Miami and Nancy Thompson of Ohio, and his in-laws, Ronald and Virginia Marko of South Toms River.

In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Division of Development, 901 E Street NW, Suite 100, Washington DC 20004-2025, www.nleomf.org.

There is a GoFundMe fundraising campaign, started by a member of the Manchester police department, to assist the family.

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