Police Officer Jody Benecke has officially retired from the Jackson Township Police Department, concluding a 25-year career in law enforcement that spanned multiple departments across New Jersey.
A lifelong Jackson resident and 1991 graduate of Jackson Memorial High School, Officer Benecke has deep roots in the community where she raised four sons. Her path into law enforcement began at Union County College, where she earned an associate’s degree in criminal justice.
Officer Benecke’s first role in public safety came in 1998 as a telecommunications officer with the Cranford Township Police Department. She later served as an emergency services dispatcher for the Edison Police Department. While working full-time, she enrolled in the Union County Police Academy’s alternate route program, paying her own way through training. After graduating from the John H. Stamler Police Academy, she joined the Morris County Park Police in 2001.
During her time in Morris County, Benecke completed various certifications, including DWI enforcement, Physical Training (PT) instruction, and became a member of the department’s bicycle unit after passing the Northeast Cyclist training program. In 2005, she participated in her first Police Unity Tour, cycling from Edison to Washington, D.C., in honor of fallen officers.
In April 2006, she joined the Jackson Township Police Department. There, she continued to build her resume, becoming a DARE officer in 2008 and rejoining the Bicycle Unit, with whom she participated in a second Police Unity Tour ride in 2018. She also completed training in Crisis Intervention (CIT), ARIDE, and other traffic safety programs. Over the course of her service, she received several commendations, including a Life Saving Award.
Officer Benecke is now relocating to Colorado to be closer to her family. One of her sons is stationed with the U.S. Air Force in New Mexico.
The Jackson Township Police Department expressed gratitude for her years of service and extended best wishes for her retirement.