Message from Councilman Matt Adams | February 2, 2023
As the son of a retired Chief of Police, one of the special honors of my time in public office so far has been the opportunity to serve as liaison from the governing body to the Scotch Plains Police Department.
In that role, I routinely meet with our Police Department’s leadership to understand and respond to the Department’s needs, and to overall facilitate a proactive relationship between our Township’s police and elected officials on a host of matters anywhere. That could be anything from traffic safety, to protecting our seniors from financial scams, to budgets, equipment, and community outreach.
I have spent my life surrounded by the men and women of law enforcement. I understand their needs, acknowledge their unique challenges, and unambiguously support their mission. My professional background as an attorney in the criminal justice system also affords me a special appreciation for the role that positive police interactions play in shaping the overall safety, stability, and trust of a community.
This week, the Scotch Plains Police Department begins a new chapter, as a senior leadership transition begins following the retirement of Chief Ted Conley after his 25 years of exemplary service. On February 1, Chief Jeffrey Briel took the reins of the Department, although a ceremonial swearing in will take place publicly at the February 7 Township Council Meeting.
Chief Briel has worked in law enforcement for 30 years and was born and raised in Scotch Plains. He graduated from Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School in 1988 after attending Evergreen Elementary School and Nettingham (formerly Park) Middle School. Chief Briel started his career in public safety with the Scotch Plains Rescue Squad in 1989.
Our new Chief of Police started his career in law enforcement with the Union County Department of Corrections in 1994, and was hired by the Scotch Plains Police Department in 1995. He began climbing the ranks of the Scotch Plains Police Department after being named the Department’s training officer in 1997 and a detachment with the Union County Prosecutors’ Office working as a narcotics detective in 1998.
He has worked in just about every facet of the Scotch Plains Police Department over the years. His most recent assignment was as the Department’s Administrative Captain under former Chief Conley. Chief Briel now resides in Fanwood with his wife and children.
Mindful that our community is evolving, and the critical role that law enforcement plays in our society, more generally, the Township Council, working with the Township Manager’s Office, saw it necessary to create a new leadership position in the Scotch Plains Police Department beginning February 15.
Scotch Plains Police Department Captain Al Sellinger will be named the first Deputy Chief of Police in Scotch Plains history. The Deputy Chief role will ensure a seamless leadership transition in the future, assisting the Chief in administering to the many responsibilities that come with the job.
Just like Chief Briel, soon-to-be Deputy Chief Sellinger is very well known to the residents of our community. He is a lifelong Scotch Plains resident and has had a wide breadth of law enforcement experience since he began his career with the Scotch Plains Police Department in 2001.
He has been awarded numerous accommodations for his service, and most recently served as Captain of the Patrol and Internal Affairs Divisions. He and his wife are mainstays in the Township’s cherished Italian-American cultural circles, and have raised their children here.
In sum, Chief Briel and soon-to-be Deputy Chief Sellinger are deeply connected to Scotch Plains. They are highly experienced and exemplary police officers. They will guide our Police Department well for years to come.
Together with Chief Briel and incoming Deputy Chief Sellinger, the Township Council is committed to the safety and security of all Scotch Plains residents and visitors.
At the same time, we all understand and appreciate that there is work to be done to improve the relationship between citizens and the police, particularly in the wake of the vile and despicable actions of a small number of officers in incidents like we saw in Memphis with Tyre Nicholas and in Minneapolis with George Floyd.
I know firsthand that Chief Briel and incoming Deputy Chief Sellinger do not shy away from honest conversations about the need to rebuild the public trust that was lost after these high profile incidents of police brutality. They have committed – along with countless other law enforcement executives from around the county, state, and country – to enhanced training and de-escalation techniques, including, but not limited to: Integrated Communication and Tactics (ICAT), Active Bystander for Law Enforcement (ABLE), and equipping all of our officers with body worn cameras.
The Scotch Plains Police Department was also recently re-certified as an Accredited Law Enforcement Agency, representing that it maintains exacting standards, policies, and procedures.
While national news may be inundated with stories about the inhumane actions of a few right now, their actions are not representative of the overwhelming majority who wear the uniform honorably, proudly, and dutifully each and every day, including the members of the Scotch Plains Police Department.
The commitment by our community’s new law enforcement leaders to staying on the cutting edge of police education, together with maintaining an outstanding community policing program that creates countless opportunities for positive community-police interactions, has kept the Scotch Plains Police Department at the forefront.
The Department is a model for municipal police departments around the state and country. Chief Conley set the Department on that trajectory, and my Council colleagues and I have every expectation and confidence that it will continue on that path with the Police Department’s new leaders.
Please join me in congratulating these two very deserving police officers on their promotions!
