Manchester Police Chief Robert Dolan is proud to announce the promotion of three veteran Manchester Township Police Department officers to new leadership roles within the agency during a ceremony held on May 15, 2023: Lt. James Komsa to Captain, Dsg. David Fusaro to Lieutenant, and Det. Joseph Fastige to Sergeant.
Mayor Rob Arace had the honor of administering the Oaths of Office in the presence of family, friends, police, and township personnel. Additionally, the lateral moves of Sgt. Christopher Cerullo to Detective Sergeant, and Ptl. Patrick Cervenak to Detective, were made.
“Only those individuals who are truly dedicated to excelling in the service of their community can successfully navigate the grueling promotional process, no matter the position,” said Chief Dolan. “Each officer puts tremendous effort into preparing for promotional testing, and our residents can rest assured knowing that a strong foundation of exemplary leadership is in place at the Manchester Township Police Department.”
Taking his oath first was Capt. Komsa, who began his police career in Seaside Heights in 1998 and joined the Manchester Township Police Department in 2000. Capt. Komsa earned the rank of Sergeant in 2011, and in 2014 was selected to supervise the newly formed Narcotics Enforcement Team. In 2016, Capt. Komsa was promoted to Lieutenant, where he supervised Patrol and most recently the Investigations Bureau and Narcotics Enforcement Team. Capt. Komsa holds a master’s degree from Fairleigh Dickenson University and has completed the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police Command and Leadership Academy and the FBI LEEDA Leadership Trilogy training.
Next to take his oath was Lt. Fusaro, who began his law enforcement career in 2004 with the Seaside Heights Police Department and later was hired by Manchester Township Police in 2007. Lt. Fusaro joined the Investigations Bureau in 2015, where he served as a Detective for nearly four years. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 2018 and reassigned to the Patrol Division. In 2020, he was selected to supervisor the Narcotics Enforcement Team and soon after Investigations Bureau as Detective Sergeant, serving in this position for more than three years. In 2020, Dsg. Fusaro earned his master’s degree from California Coast University and completed the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police Command and Leadership Academy and FBI-LEEDA Executive Leadership Institute.
Next, Sgt. Fastige, who began his law enforcement career in 2008 with the Seaside Heights Police Department and was hired by Manchester Township Police Department in 2011, took his oath. He was assigned to the uniform patrol division until 2019 when he was then selected to become a member of the Investigations Bureau. In 2020, Sgt. Fastige earned his master’s degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University. As an active presence in the community, Sgt. Fastige is a #NotEvenOnce high school opiate awareness instructor and is assigned as the department’s Social Media Manager. He also assists in organizing community events such as Coffee with a Cop and National Night Out.
The ceremony also included the lateral move of Sgt. Cerullo to Detective Sergeant. A member of the Manchester Township Police Department since 2007, Dsg. Cerullo has actively worked with the School District, serving as the School Resource Officer for four years. Along with a select group of officers, Dsg. Cerullo, who holds a master’s degree from Seton Hall University, was instrumental in the development of the #NotEvenOnce high school opiate awareness program in 2016. He also created the curriculum for the Youth Police Academy, which a successful summer program launched in 2015 that strengthens the bond between our police department and the youth in our community.
The final lateral move was Ptl. Cervenak to Detective. Det. Cervenak started his career in law enforcement in Manchester Township in 2007 and has served his entire career in the Patrol Division until his transition to Detective. Det. Cervenak holds a master’s degree from California Coast University, and has served as Field Training Officer, a member of the Ocean County Regional Swat Team, firearms instructor, and rifle instructor. Among his awards are Honorable Service in 2016 and the Chief’s Award in 2018.
“This proud day would not be possible without the continued support of Mayor Arace and the Township Council. We wish all promoted officers and those taking on new roles the best of luck as they begin the next chapters in their law enforcement careers here in Manchester Township,” said Chief Dolan.
