MANCHESTER – There’s a new police chief in town and his name is Antonio Ellis. He was sworn in as Manchester Township’s eighth chief, taking the oath of office before members of his family, fellow officers, the mayor and council and special guests.
The installation ceremony was held in the Municipal Complex Courtroom. Chief Ellis succeeds outgoing Chief Robert M. Dolan, who retired on April 30, following a distinguished 31-year career.
“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,” Ellis said late last month. He thanked 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 said, “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.”
Ellis has been with the department for 24 years. Most recently, he served as the department’s Administrative and Support Services Lieutenant. He is an expert in the field of Traffic Safety who completed several training courses, notably the FBI-LEEDA Trilogy Award, which includes the Supervisory Leadership Institute, Command Leadership Institute and Executive Leadership Institute.
“I’m honored to lead the Manchester Township Police Department as its Chief of Police. Our department is here for our residents during their most difficult times, and it is my goal to ensure that each member of our agency has the knowledge, training, and equipment necessary to serve the public to the best of their ability,” he added.
Councilman Joseph Hankins, left, joins Council Vice President Jim Vaccaro, newly sworn in Police Chief Antonio Ellis, Mayor Robert Arace, Councilwoman Michele Zolezi, Council President Roxy Conniff and Councilman Craig Wallis following a swearing in ceremony for Ellis. (Photo courtesy Manchester Township)
The new chief brings a high level of executive managerial expertise to his role, having prepared the operating budgets for the Police Department as well as a large portion of capital expenditures for the agency. This includes the upkeep and modernization of the department’s vehicle fleet; preparing a major grant application to procure body worn cameras for the department; and managing the $2 million Motorola Spillman communication/computer aided dispatch project.
Ellis previously supervised the Traffic Safety Section as Sergeant, where he had served as a Patrolman in various capacities since 2005. From 2007 until 2016, he also served with the Ocean County Regional SWAT Team as a dedicated sniper. During his tenure on the SWAT Team, he was deployed on a multitude of various special operations within Ocean County.
He also has extensive experience in teaching and mentoring a broad range of law enforcement personnel, from new recruits to veteran officers in a variety of law enforcement specialties. Additionally, he is a proponent of promoting positive interactions with members of the public, having hosted numerous public speaking events.
This includes town hall meetings to listen to the safety concerns of residents, to explain new technologies and policy implementations. Ellis said during the swearing in ceremony, “I’d like to thank Mayor Robert Arace and the Township Council for their support and confidence as I embark on a new chapter in my law enforcement career leading the dedicated professionals of the Manchester Township Police Department.”
Ellis said, “Our mission to provide high quality public safety services to the residents of Manchester Township remains paramount.”
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