Galloway, N.J. — The Stockton University Police Department swore in nine new officers, including a former Stockton student, on March 16 in a ceremony in the Campus Center Event Room.

The new officers included Numa Rodriguez-Rojas, of Pleasantville, a 2025 Stockton alum who graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice. The other new officers are:

• Emily Casco-David of Galloway Township
• Thomas Cannon of Egg Harbor Township
• Nikola Berlenbach of Little Egg Harbor Township
• Dexter Dambroski of South Toms River
• Christopher Pollina of Tuckerton
• Corey Lawson of Camden
• John Waddell of Hammonton
• Michael Zoda of Linwood

Before being officially sworn in by Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Julie E. Nugent, Stockton Police Chief Tracy Stuart praised the new officers.

“You are the final pieces of our puzzle. The final pieces we needed for our team so that we can do our best to protect and serve our community,” she said. “Watching you grow professionally is going to be an amazing journey that I’m so excited to be a part of.”

All nine new officers recently graduated from the Atlantic County Police Training Center and several of them received awards after graduation, including Casco-David (Merit award), Pollina (Don Souder First Aid and Physical Fitness Intensity awards), Rodriguez-Rojas (Sergeant Thomas Jerdan Firearms Proficiency award) and Zoda (Don Sounder First Aid award).

For Rodriguez-Rojas, the ceremony was the culmination of his plan when he first came to Stockton as a student — to eventually become a police officer.

“I just wanted to give back to the community by joining their police department,” he said about the university. “I really enjoy the community policing aspect of law enforcement. That’s what drew me into Stockton because they place a big emphasis on community policing and educating students. That’s what I was looking forward to in a career in law enforcement.”

Stuart thanked the family members of the new officers who attended the ceremony.

“Thank you for allowing us to work with them, to help cultivate them, to help guide them, to have them serve the future of America, which really is our students,” she said. “When I say that I am proud and grateful to have these exceptional young people added to our department, I mean it.”

After the ceremony, Stuart presented a series of quarterly awards to members of the department, including:

• Top Cop of the Quarter (4th) 2025: Officer Joseph Pizzuto
• Rookie of the Quarter (4th) 2025: Officer Matthew Schulte
• Outstanding Mentorship of the Quarter (4th) 2025: Officer Corey Lawson

The following personnel also received a Unit Commendation: Capt. Giovanni Maione, Lt. Anthony Lacovara, Sgt. Kyle Butler, Sgt. Michael Beshai, Officer Joseph Fowler, Officer Joseph Pizzuto, Officer Casey Foncellino, Officer Danielle Bialecki, Officer Ryan Letizia, Officer Muriel Lao, Officer Mateen Davis, Security Officer Robert Schulte, PST Supervisor Jennie Bollinger, PST Melinda Ogando and Clery Compliance Coordinator Rosanne Latoracca.

Stuart also presented letters of recognition to acknowledge good work done on three specific cases to Officer Sebastian Sanchez, Officer Mateen Davis, Officer Daniel Fairweather, Officer Victor Rivera, Officer Joseph Pizzuto, Officer Manuela Buritica, Sgt. Ashley Williams, Lt. Anthony Lacovara, PST Trudy Straus, PST Supervisor Jennie Bollinger, PST Colin McFadden and Melinda Ogando. 

— Story by Mark Melhorn, photos by Abbigail Erbacher