Maplewood's New Police Chief 'Pursued His Lifelong Passion'

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Maplewood was stunned by the sudden death of Police Chief Jimmy DeVaul, who died last month at age 53 following a medical episode. Filling those shoes will be a 22-year department veteran who was sworn in last week.

Chief Albert Sally said this week that he intends to protect Maplewood residents and continue "contributing to many other community endeavors and efforts of safekeeping."

Sally grew up in Summit and graduated from Summit High School in 1990. He received a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Kean University.

He worked briefly for New Jersey's Division of Youth and Family Services, then "pursued his lifelong passion of joining with his brothers and sisters in blue in law enforcement" in 2001, he said.

Sally served as School Resource Officer at Maplewood Middle School and coordinated programs like the Junior Police Academy. He then became a detective, a sergeant, and then became a detective sergeant investigating juvenile crime.

Along the way, he served as an instructor at the Essex County Junior Police Academy and returned to school for his master's in Human Resources Training and Development from Seton Hall University.

When Sally was promoted to lieutenant, he became the highest ranking African American officer, in the Maplewood Police Department history. Eventually he was promoted to captain and deputy chief.

According to the Police Department, Under Chief Sally’s guidance, the department has expanded its opportunities to include a more diversified workforce of women and minorities. Chief Sally continues to serve as the law enforcement liaison for the Maplewood Community Board on Police and Social Services to enable, foster and embrace alternative policing initiatives to improve relationships and reduce incidents of force, needing police attention and escalation."

He knows he has big shoes to fill. The memorial for former Chief James DuVaul was held the last week in October. Sally had been appointed acting chief when DuVaul was hospitalized two weeks ago.

Find out more about the Maplewood Police Department here.