Four new police officers have joined the Princeton Police Department.
The new officers, who were chosen from among a field of 140 applicants, were sworn in as probationary police officers at the Princeton Council’s Aug. 24 meeting.
Newly appointed police officers Eliza Ford, Joseph Horn, Angelina Moench and Justin Tisdale will begin their police training at the Mercer County Police Academy on Sept. 8.
The swearing-in ceremony marks the beginning of an important journey for the four police officers, Police Chief Matthew Solovay said. They have made the decision to answer a call to public service and begin careers in law enforcement.
“Choosing this profession is a significant commitment. It is a commitment to serve others, to accept responsibility and to be there for people during some of their most difficult moments,” Solovay said.
“We are especially proud that these four individuals have chosen to begin that journey here in Princeton and to become part of our family at the Princeton Police Department,” he said.
Solovay offered brief biographies of the probationary police officers.
Ford grew up in Monmouth Beach and graduated from the University of North Carolina – Wilmington. She earned bachelor’s degrees in criminology and sociology, with a minor in psychology.
As a college student, she became certified as an emergency medical technician. She gained firsthand exposure to law enforcement and criminal investigations when she was offered an opportunity to shadow detectives with the Clark Police Department, Solovay said.
Horn grew up in Hamilton Township. He attended Notre Dame High School in Lawrence Township before transferring to The Hun School of Princeton. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business management at the University of Maine.
Horn worked at his family’s transmission service business in Hamilton Township, which helped him to develop the teamwork, discipline and work ethic that he will bring to the Princeton Police Department, Solovay said.
Moench is from Manalapan. She graduated from West Chester University with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a minor in psychology. She became interested in law enforcement after participating in a four-year law enforcement and public safety program in high school.
Moench worked for the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, where she built on her experiences as an intern. Those experiences helped to prepare her for a career in law enforcement that has taken her to the Princeton Police Department, Solovay said.
Tisdale has a long-standing connection to Princeton, Solovay said. He attended the Princeton Recreation Department’s day camp and took part in the Princeton Police Department’s Youth Academy. He later became a counselor at the day camp.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Rutgers University – Camden. His journey has brought him full circle – from taking part in Princeton’s youth programs to becoming a Princeton police officer, he said.
Taking the oath of office is just the first step, Solovay said. Ahead of them are the challenges of the police academy, field training and a career that will provide opportunities to learn, grow and make a positive difference in the lives of others.
“We look forward to watching each of them develop as police officers, and we are proud to welcome them and their families into the Princeton community,” Solovay said.
