CLOSTER, N.J.—Officials here unanimously approved selection of former police lieutenant John “Jack” McTigue as the borough’s new police chief at the June 26 Borough Council meeting effective July 1.
Former Police Chief Dennis Kaine retired July 1 after 34 years with the Closter Police Department.
“We have in Closter, in my opinion, the best police department in Bergen County,” said Mayor John Glidden, noting Kaine’s many accomplishments including police department accreditation.
McTigue’s family initially moved into Closter in 1978, where he attended St. Mary’s grammar school and Northern Valley Regional High School-Demarest. He took criminal justice as a major and graduated from Marist College, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., in 1995.
Shortly after graduation, he began working as a dispatcher with Northern Valley Interboro Police Dispatch. The shared emergency dispatch covers seven valley towns including Closter. In 1997 he graduated from the Bergen County Police Academy and joined the Closter Police Department.
In 2011, he was assigned to the Detective Bureau and in 2012 was promoted to sergeant. In 2016, McTigue was promoted to lieutenant in charge of operations.
“Being acknowledged for his work on patrol, he was one of the first officers put on loan to the Bergen County Narcotics Office,” said Council President Alissa Latner, who noted McTigue “received numerous awards for his police work and investigations.”
“Over the years, he has been a great representative of the Closter Police Department and a true model to his peers. And for all of this I would like to congratulate him for his final promotion to chief of police,” Latner said.
Earlier, Councilwoman Jannie Chung praised both McTigue and Kaine, noting that a great leader “inspires people to have confidence in themselves” and calling the new chief’s induction “a moment to celebrate Chief Kaine’s leadership [and] the confidence that he has passed on to Chief McTigue.”
McTigue celebrated his official swearing-in with friends, fellow officers and family.
As lieutenant, McTigue earned $147,668 and he now earns $167,165.80 as police chief.