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A personal dream was fully realized Thursday morning when Matthew Brown became the newest member of the Asbury Park Police Department. The 24-year-old Neptune City native, said he set the personal goal during high school.

“My uncle was a police officer and he was a [U.S.] Marine vet,” he said. “I looked up to him my entire life.”

But, after completing his first stint going through Police Academy training five years ago, Brown found it difficult to acquire a full time post, despite high scores.

“I already went through the police academy once,” he said. “And you know after five years, that’s rough. A lot of people usually get hired within that time but during [the aftermath of] hurricane Sandy I couldn’t get hired.”

Brown opted for a Special II Officer position with the Belmar Police Department, where he spent the past five years.

“I love Belmar,” he said. “I’m going to miss Belmar because I made a lot of friends there that will last a lifetime but I’m excited for Asbury Park, and I’m ready to get to work.”

A front of a crowd that included not only his family but officials from three communities, Brown became the 90th member of the local police force, but not without words of advice from Acting Police Chief Anthony Salerno.

“Asbury Park is a very, very, busy town,” Salerno said. “We have great growth here; new businesses popping up and restaurants all over the place. We are growing department in a growing town and there are going to be great challenges. Law enforcement today is being painted with a brush that we don’t want to be painted with…so it’s more challenging today than ever before.

“Now not only are police officers expected to be good police officers, but they are the counselors, the social workers, and almost attorneys,” Salerno said. “New law enforcement officers know what they need to learn to do the job today and to meet the requirements and the tremendous responsibilities that you will have.”

Salerno echoed Municipal Judge Daniel J. DiBenedetto, who swore Brown into office, by saying  with the job comes great power but how one uses that power reflects on not on the individual, but most importantly the city and the Asbury Park Police Department.

Aside from Mayor John Moor, Brown’s former boss Belmar Police Chief Andrew Huisman and Mayor Robert Brown [Matthew’s father], Freeholder Director Thomas Arnone attended the swearing in ceremony.

“I can’t tell you how special this day is because we have sitting here a young man with strong determination,” Arnone said. “You could see that in Matt in his early years.”

“I know he’s going to do very well here,” Mayor Brown said. “He will not let the Asbury Park Police Department or the residents down. He’s a hard working young man and he doesn’t quit ever. We are very proud of him.”

And Mayor Moor said, “I am always proud to see a new officer sworn in to the City of Asbury Park Police Department. It’s a great day.”

Asbury Park Police Department spokesman Michael Casey said Brown will begin duty as a Patrolman. While under normal circumstances training would be waived, Brown will need to be retrained because he has out the academy for more than three years.

“He will be starting the Ocean County Police Academy Friday Nov. 18,” Casey said. His 24-week training will include a basic introduction to law enforcement, with PT, criminal, motor vehicle, and firearm training.

Brown was chosen from the County’s Civil Service list because the department has exhausted its list of local residents qualified for the job, Casey said. When a new list is issued early next year, the police department will look to hire qualified officers who live in the city.

Salerno said the department is still looking for two qualified officers in order to bring the department up to capacity.

In July, the department hired Patrolmen Alexander Mabe of Aberdeen and Damien Broschart of Howell in July from County list. The two men are due finish their training by year’s end.

Broshart, also a Class II officer from Belmar, was able to waive full retraining, unlike Brown. Since his hiring he has been working with department on active duty while taking required courses.

Brown’s salary will be covered by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services [COPS] grant, the city received in October. The city was awarded $474,055 to fund two entry level salaries and benefits for full time police officers over a period of three years.

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