MANCHESTER – From COVID-19 survivor to police chief, Antonio Ellis has had an interesting career path in the police department. With the announcement that Chief Robert Dolan will soon retire, the Township Council voted on the hiring of Ellis as his successor.
“Congratulations,” Mayor Robert Arace said regarding both Dolan’s retirement from the force and Ellis’s start as the new chief on May 1. “He’ll be sworn in on May 1 at 8 a.m.”
“I’m very sad to see you go. I’ve been working with you for the past 16 months and it has been phenomenal the service you brought to the town. I expect you to continue our friendship once you walk out the door. I really do appreciate everything you have done,” the mayor added.
The mayor noted, “four months in, when we had a several thousand-acre forest fire, having you be on at that moment when I was away – it was a huge burden off of me.”
The mayor asked the incoming chief to make some remarks and he said, “I look forward to the opportunity to continue to serve and follow the footsteps of other great chiefs here and the support of the residents of Manchester Township during my tenure as chief.”
“I want to thank Chief Dolan for his tutelage and for guiding me and preparing me for this momentous occasion because I take this with the utmost respect and honor of the position and for the township,” Ellis added.
Ellis said to the governing body, “I’ve gotten a chance to speak with all of you at length and enjoyed that time and avail myself to be here to continue that relationship between the police department and the township moving forward.”
Business Administrator Carl Block noted, “the many chiefs that I have worked with in different capacities – or sheriffs as the case may be – you (Dolan) were not only an excellent chief but also very accommodating in the right way. There are always two sides. You thought about what was right for the agency but you always understood the constraints and the taxpayer. I thank you for that.”
The business administrator received some laughter from his remark to Ellis when he said, “I was under a pledge by the CFO (Chief Financial Officer Diane Lapp) to start your career with these fine words: ‘we have no money.’ Everything else goes from that.”
“Thank you, Carl, I appreciate your sentiments and the council and mayor for my time I have had here. It has been a good 31 years for sure. Thank you very much,” Dolan said.
Mayor Arace warned Ellis, “Chief Dolan had to work with me at all hours of the day throughout the week so I am sorry in advance.”
“You want the job you get all the jobs,” Dolan told Ellis with a chuckle.
Manchester Police Chief Robert Dolan, left joins incoming chief Antonio Ellis who will start his service in that role on May 1. Mayor Robert Arace congratulated both men during a recent Township Council meeting. (Photo by Bob Vosseller)
“That’s right. I’m looking forward to it,” Ellis said. He told The Manchester Times that he has been with the department for 24 years.
In 2021 then-Sgt. Antonio Ellis was recovering from his bout with the coronavirus which a year prior, had him fighting for his life for 102 days. He returned back on the beat full time completely recovered. That year, he also ran unsuccessfully for Board of Education in his home town of Toms River.
His past duties included leading the department’s Traffic Safety Unit. He also served as an instructor at the Ocean County Police Academy and is an accredited traffic accident reconstructionist as well as a radar instructor. Ellis is also a drug recognition expert and he was successful in obtaining grants involving DWI prevention and the Move Over Law.
Dolan took over the duties of chief on July 1, 2021 with the retirement of Police Chief Lisa Parker on June 30, 2021.
Dolan is the township’s seventh Chief of Police. He began his career with the Manchester Police Department in 1993 as a dispatcher and was hired as a full time officer in 1994. He has served in numerous positions throughout the Police Department including detective, patrol sergeant, lieutenant supervising the Administrative Services Bureau, and captain overseeing the Division of Emergency Services.
He said he wasn’t sure what he’ll do in his retirement. “I haven’t quite figured that out yet. The idea is to take the summer off and then reassess in the fall. I have things to do. For now, it will be to have some time off.”
Photo by Jason Allentoff
Coincidentally, Dolan’s son John, who began his career with the Lakehurst Police Department in 2023, will be sworn in to the Barnegat Police Department on May1 – the day that Dolan’s retirement officially starts.
Block reminded the governing body to put their congratulations on the record.
Councilwoman Michele Zolezi said, “I’d like to thank Chief Dolan for all of your service for all the years you have worked here. We wish you all the best.”
“It was very good having you here Chief. Congratulations. It has been a great time working with you,” Council President Roxy Conniff said.
Councilman Joseph Hankins had to abstain from the vote due to a conflict of interest but the rest of the council voted in favor of the hiring.
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