ABERDEEN – Municipal officials have announced the promotion of Deputy Chief Alan Geyer to the rank of police chief in the Aberdeen Township Police Department.
Geyer succeeds Rick Derechailo, who has retired. Derechailo had served as police chief since January 2019, according to municipal officials.
“While we are saddened to see Chief Derechailo leave, we are very pleased to have another true professional and longtime member of the force, Alan Geyer, take the reins of our growing police department, which now has 43 sworn officers,” Township Manager Bryan Russell said.
Geyer has served in numerous capacities since he joined the police department as a patrol officer in 1987.
In 1995, he was promoted to detective, followed by promotions to sergeant in 2000, traffic sergeant in 2002, lieutenant in 2006, captain of operations in 2013, and deputy chief in 2020, municipal officials said.
Geyer’s responsibilities have included supervising the School Resource Officer (SRO) and Law Enforcement Against Drugs (LEAD) programs for the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District. He continues to direct the SRO and LEAD programs.
The new chief’s community service includes serving as a Little League baseball coach for a number of years.
“The Township Council has the utmost confidence in Chief Geyer as our new chief of police,” Deputy Mayor Joseph Martucci said. “His length of service and experience in different areas of the police department have prepared Chief Geyer for this new position. We look forward to working with him.”
Derechailo retired after serving in the police department for more than 36 years. He joined the police department in 1985 as a patrol officer.
“To say we had the right person at the right time as chief is an understatement. During his tenure, Chief Derechailo helped guide the township through many uneasy times,” Mayor Fred Tagliarini said.
“His shining moment as chief was the leadership he demonstrated during this COVID-19 pandemic. We on the Township Council wish him good health as he enters a new chapter in his life,” the mayor said.
