Police Officers Promoted In Brick

BRICK – Police Chief David Forrester and Mayor Lisa Crate presided over the promotion of two police officers during the most recent Township Council meeting, which was attended by many members of the township police department.

The first to be sworn in, Sgt. Brenden Barnes, graduated from Brick Memorial High School, class of 1992, and earned a degree in Business Marketing from Stockton College.

He was hired by Brick Police Department in 2001 and since then has been assigned to the Operations Division, the Detective Bureau, the Professional Standards Unit and the Community Policing Unit.

“Sgt. Barnes has been the recipient of numerous meritorious service awards, Chief’s Certificates and letters of commendations,” Chief Forrester said.

The sergeant would be assigned to the Operations Division as a midnight shift supervisor, the chief said.

The next to be sworn in by the mayor was Lt. Michael Feeney, who graduated from Brick Township High School in 1998 and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from The College of New Jersey in 2002.

He was hired by the Brick Township Police Department in 2002.

Lt. Feeney has spent the majority of his career in Patrol, working all three shifts. He has served as a field training officer and also worked as a detective and as a background investigator.

Lt. Feeney was promoted to sergeant in December 2018 and has served as a supervisor on the midnight and evening shifts.

“He has received life-saving awards, a Grand Cordon service award and numerous Chief Certificates,” Chief Forrester said.

Lt. Feeney would be assigned to the midnight shift.

In other news, the mayor said that this year’s Summerfest Concert Series has had record attendance. Held on three Thursdays in July, the first in the series was held on July 4, with police estimating some 17,000 attendees throughout the evening.

“Not everyone arrives at the same time and not everybody stays the whole time, but with ins and outs and bus rides being tallied and the amount of cars that we had in there, there was quite a large group of people, and that’s not even counting the many, many, many boats that were out on the Metedeconk River that were out to listen to the show and also to watch the fireworks,” Mayor Crate said.

The fireworks were extended due to the 4th of July holiday, she added.

The mayor, Business Administrator Joanne Bergin and Councilman Perry Albanese were in the crowd, selling 50/50 raffle tickets for TNR (Trap, Neuter, Release program for cats), which resulted in the winner, a Brick homeowner, taking home $2,400.

There is a food court and beer and wine garden open at every concert, a shuttle bus service pick-up/drop-off from five locations, and fireworks after every concert.

The outdoor summer concert series continues when the Strictly 60s Band performs at Traders Cove Marina on Wednesday August 7 at 7 p.m. with a rain date of August 28.

The annual Fall Fest will be held at Windward Beach Park on Saturday October 26. The family-friendly event features food trucks, games, hatchet throwing, rides, fire pits, a cornhole tournament, a beer and wine garden and much more. It concludes with a fireworks display.

The next council meeting will be on Tuesday, July 23 at 7 p.m.