METUCHEN — There will be some moving and shaking within the Metuchen Police Department as longtime Police Captain Michael Kilker announced his retirement.
Police Chief David Irizarry called Kilker’s retirement a bittersweet event.
“The bitter part is he will be missed both professionally and personally not just by the police department, but the entire community of the borough of Metuchen,” he said. “The sweet part is this allows other quality members of the police department to be promoted and or reassigned.”
On Oct. 2, three long time officers were promoted at a Borough Council meeting.
Police Lieutenant JP Therrien was sworn in as captain, filling the vacancy left by Kilker. He had been the lieutenant of patrol since 2015.
Police Sgt. Arthur Flaherty was sworn in as lieutenant of patrol. He had been the department’s administrative sergeant for the past three years. Prior to that, he was a patrol sergeant.
Police Cpl. Kenneth Bauer, who had been in the traffic unit for several years, was sworn in as a patrol sergeant.
With all the promotions, Police Sgt. James Burns was reassigned from patrol sergeant to administrative sergeant, filling Flaherty’s position.
Irizarry said because of all of the promotions and reassignments, there are other assignments that will be opening up in the very near future.
“This is a very exciting time for the Metuchen Police Department,” Irizarry said. “Anytime there is this much movement in a small Police Department, it energizes some officers who have been in the same roll for some time and it also gives some of the younger officers new responsibilities and others hope for the future.”
Irizarry said he is also excited about the group of individuals who officials are currently interviewing to fill the department vacancy created by Kilker’s retirement, as well as another pending retirement later this year.
“The finalists in the process are all qualified candidates who will fit perfectly in the Metuchen Police Department,” he said.
Mayor Peter Cammarano at a council meeting on Sept. 18 said Kilker, after many years of service to the borough, has made a definite impact on the department.
“He has done a great job and he’s been a wonderful police officer,” he said.
Kilker is retiring after 25 years with the department. He began his career in August 1992 when he attended the 57th basic training police course at Middlesex County Police Academy.
Upon graduation, he was assigned to the patrol division. During his stint in the patrol division, he assisted the detective bureau on a part-time basis.
Irizarry said because of his excellent work while working with the detectives, Kilker was assigned full-time to the detective bureau in June 2001.
While in the detective bureau, Kilker was responsible for closing many cases and making a name for himself as one of the best detectives in Middlesex County.
In February 2006, Kilker was promoted to the rank of sergeant and was transferred back to the patrol division. In June 2008, Kilker was reassigned as the sergeant in charge of the detective bureau.
In July 2010, Kilker was promoted to the rank of lieutenant where he was in charge of the patrol division.
Finally, in February 2015, Kilker was again promoted, this time, to the rank of captain of operations where he remained until his recent retirement.
