Brick police tab three officers
Mayor: Township ‘second safest’ because of force’s growing presence
By Karl Vilacoba
Staff Writer

Three new officers were sworn in to the Brick Police Department during a brief ceremony before Friday morning’s Township Council meeting, bringing the department’s full-time staff up to 124.

Officers Sean D. Flynn, Scott M. Dierking and Steven Tillberg will now complete their academy training before joining the department full time. Noting the intensive training regimen to come, Chief Ronald Dougard congratulated the three men on this "first step in a long road" ahead.

"Public safety has got to be our No. 1 priority," said Mayor Joseph Scarpelli. "It should be for any city, whether it’s a city of 75,000 like Brick Township or millions like in New York City."

Scarpelli said the three officers are among 85 he has sworn in since becoming mayor in 1994. He credited the increased police numbers and presence "wherever you go in Brick" in large part for the township’s recent statistical rank as the second safest city with a population of above 75,000 in the country.

Early this month, publishers Morgan Quitno released their annual report on crime rankings, which placed Brick only behind Amherst, N.Y., in safety for all cities with a population of above 75,000. It was the third year in a row Brick was rated by Morgan Quitno in the top five nationally.

"We have been No. 1 in New Jersey for those last three years, so we do enjoy No. 1 status," added Councilwoman Kimberley Casten.

Flynn, 32, grew up in Rhode Island and served as a paratrooper in the Army Airborne Infantry in Kosovo after enlisting in 1999. He received an honorable discharge from active duty in February and is currently a member of the U.S. Army Reserves.

After his military service, Flynn settled in Brick with fiancée Kimberly Meyer and her two children. Flynn attended the Community College of Rhode Island, Warwick, and is currently enrolled at Ocean County College, pursuing a degree in criminal justice.

Dierking, 24, grew up in Toms River and now lives in Brick. He is a graduate of Rutgers University, New Brunswick, where he obtained a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice.

Dierking’s father, Michael, is a retired New York City Police Department officer. Officer Neil Pedersen of the Brick Police Department is his uncle.

Tillberg, 27, lived in Union before moving to Brick in 2000. He lives with his wife, Taryn, and their daughter.

Tillberg graduated from Kean University, Union, with a bachelor of arts in psychology.

"This is a great place to begin and end a career," Scarpelli said. "These officers are here to stay and make our community a better place."