BY MICHAEL OLOHAN
OF PASCACK PRESS
RIVER VALE, N.J.—The township’s new police chief was sworn in Feb. 11 and welcomed warmly by council members, family, and friends in a jam-packed Township Council chamber that also included chiefs from nearby communities.
Mayor Glen Jasionwoski said newly installed Police Chief Sean Scheidle, a 25-year department veteran, was “instrumental in revamping a [police] hiring program and promotions process. His actions speak louder than any words.”
Jasionowski said Scheidle “sets us up for a very successful future” with the department’s hiring of 10 new officers over 18 months, something that “could not have been done without the hard work and dedication” of Scheidle.
Jasionowski also credited former chief William Giordano for all his hard work and said he hoped Scheidle “will stay for awhile and hopefully start the next process for grooming the next chief and next captain,” for the future.
“I wish you nothing but tremendous luck and safety and you have the support of this entire dais,” said the mayor.
Several council members noted the recent recognition of River Vale as “safest city in New Jersey” for the second consecutive year by the National Council for Home Safety and Security and kidded the new chief that it was now up to him to maintain the town’s top ranking.
The ranking was based on analysis of FBI Uniform Crime Report statistics that showed River Vale’s 2018 crime report citing 16 total crimes, which included one violent crime and 15 property crimes.
Its crime rate per 1,000 people is 0.002, which bested other New Jersey towns including Tenafly, Ringwood, and Washington Township in Morris County.
Scheidle’s wife, Cheryl, held the Bible as he was sworn in, joined by his mother, Judith; father, Ronald; son, Matthew; and daughter, Katherine.
Following the ceremony, Scheidle received congratulations from council members, family, friends and fellow officers. All council members congratulated Scheidle and wished him success in his new post.
Councilman John Donovan said “From where I’m sitting here I do look forward to the years ahead of us here.”
Council Vice President Paul Criscuolo told Scheidle being chief “is not only a commitment that you’re making but your family is making as well.”
Jasionowski noted that Councilwoman Denise Sieg was called away by a family emergency but relayed her best wishes for the new chief.
Scheidle thanked everyone for attending and thanked the council and department “for the confidence and support you’ve been giving me and I appreciate the confidence you have in me.”
He added, “We’re going to do the best possible job for the people of River Vale.”
Scheidle is one of three newly sworn-in police chiefs in the Pascack Valley. He rises to top cop alongside fellow chiefs Joseph Sanfilippo in Montvale and John Burns in Woodcliff Lake. [See New Police Chiefs Set Their Agendas in Montvale, River Vale, and Woodcliff Lake, Jan. 11.]
In a recent interview with Pascack Press, Scheidle said he anticipated offering more training for officers in firearms investigation and emergency management operations as well as community policing initiatives.
Other 2019 priorities include outreach to public schools, events/speakers for seniors, and deploying the two drones currently maintained by the department for security operations.
Scheidle joined the department in 1994, worked four years as a patrol officer, and was promoted to the detective bureau in 1998. He was promoted to sergeant in 2001 and continued in the detective bureau until 2009 when he made lieutenant.
He was promoted to captain in February 2018. His annual salary as police chief is $198,000.
