Five Police Officers Promoted

Five police officers were promoted during the township council's Nov. 8 meeting.

David Harkins was promoted from captain to deputy chief, making him Chief W. Harry Earle's right-hand man.

Anthony Minosse was promoted from lieutenant to captain and Jason Gittens from sergeant to lieutenant.

Two officers were promoted from the position of patrolman to sergeant. They are Kevin Thyne and Donald Gansky, who had been serving as a detective.

"Obviously, I'm very proud of them," Earle recently said. "They've all dedicated their careers since they've been here to professionalism and leadership."

The promoted officers have clocked in between five and 15 years of service each. Harkins and Minosse both were hired to the force in August 1995, with Gittens following in January 1997, Gansky in January 2000 and Thyne in January 2005.

Each of the promoted officers has received a number of unit citations and commendations over his career.

"Everybody brings a little something to the table, and I think that's great," the chief said.

The youngest of the five, Thyne, served with the U.S. Army Reserve. Thyne received an Army Accomodation Medal, National Defense Medal and Global War on Terrorism Medal, among other awards, during his service with the Army Reserve between February 2001 and April 2004.

Harkins served the township as a firefighter with the Chews Landing station between 1993 and 2007. Minosse, who had been promoted to lieutenant in 2008, also spent more than a decade with the Chews Landing Fire Co., between 1992 and 2007.

Gittens, who was promoted to sergeant in 2004, was part of the narcotics unit that received a commendation in October 2007 after making a total of 59 arrests in a five-month period.

Gansky was a 2008 nominee for the police department's officer of the year award.