Lakehurst Welcomes New Police Chief

LAKEHURST, NJ — The Lakehurst Police Department has a new police chief, after Matthew J. Kline was sworn in Thursday evening.

Kline had been serving as interim chief following the Dec. 31 retirement of Chief Eric S. Higgins. Higgins, who had been chief since 2005, retired following a 26-year career with the borough police department.

Kline, who was first hired by the police department in 2005 as a Special Law Enforcement Class 1 officer, rose through the ranks, becoming a Special Law Enforcement Class 2 officer, a full-time police officer, and was promoted to sergeant in 2014. He was the first officer in the department named Officer of the Year, in 2016.

"Chief Kline, you have already and will continue to do amazing things for the Borough of Lakehurst and the Lakehurst Police Department," a post on the police department's Facebook page said. "We are all honored and excited to have you leading this department. We wish you the best of luck."

Higgins, who began his law enforcement career in Lakehurst in 1994, served in a number of positions, including as the department's DARE officer and as a member of the Lakehurst/Manchester Emergency Response Team (SWAT) and the Ocean County Regional SWAT team.

As a member of the Emergency Response Team, Higgins responded to the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, to assist in the recovery efforts at Ground Zero after the terrorist attacks.

In addition to serving the department, Higgins served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves from 1989 to 1996 and saw active duty during Operations Desert Shield & Desert Storm.

"We will miss all the good times, but most notably, we will miss the passion that Chief Higgins has for the job and this department," a post on the police department page announcing his retirement said. "We would again like to take this opportunity to thank Chief Higgins for his many years of service to the officers and residents of Lakehurst. Remember Chief, retirement is just a new adventure and know that you will always have a home here at the Lakehurst Police Department. We wish you a happy and healthy retirement."

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