By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
Theresa Rock’s mother, Rosemary Milano, was the first female officer ever hired by the Sea Isle City Police Department and rose through the ranks to become a captain before retiring. Her father, Thomas Rock, is also a retired Sea Isle police officer.
On Wednesday, her parents proudly stood by her side as she was sworn in as Sea Isle’s newest police officer. They also pinned the gleaming silver police badge on her lapel.
Mayor Leonard Desiderio quipped during the ceremony that Sea Isle now has “another Rock on the police department.”
The ceremony at City Hall also included the promotion of Officers Steve Jankowski, Thomas Ready and Robert Scarano Jr. to the rank of sergeant. All three were joined by their wives, children and other family members while taking the oath of office from the mayor. Everyone wore masks for protection in the coronavirus pandemic.
U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, who attended the ceremony, presented the officers with congressional proclamations and thanked them for their service.
At a time when some cities across the country are considering defunding their police departments amid a national reckoning over police brutality, Desiderio and Van Drew pledged their full support for the police.
“I want you to know that there is no greater friend to the police than me,” Desiderio said.
Van Drew said that the nation should not “defund, demean or diminish the police in any way.”
“I will stand side by side with our police anytime, anywhere,” he told the audience.
Desiderio and Van Drew both spoke of the challenges that police face every day in their job, including the risk of being injured or killed while protecting the public.
“Your job is, without a doubt, the most difficult job there is,” Desiderio said.
Sea Isle has 22 full-time officers. The newest member of the department, Theresa Rock, is a lifelong resident of the beach resort.
Rock, who is joining the department at the age of 29, said she wants to give back to the community she so dearly loves by serving as a police officer.
“I wanted to be part of something that is bigger than myself,” she said in an interview after the ceremony
She attended public school in Sea Isle, graduated from Ocean City High School in 2009 and studied criminal justice at Rutgers University. She worked at O’Donnell’s Pour House in Sea Isle for the past 14 years, but decided to pursue another career path. She is engaged Cory Hofmann, a police officer in Cape May City.
“We are extremely proud and happy with our new hire,” Sea Isle Police Chief Tom McQuillen said. “Theresa comes from a family with two retired officers – a good, solid family that has been in the police field for many years.”
Jankowski, Ready and Scarano are veterans of the police department. Desiderio said this is the first time that Sea Isle has promoted three officers to the rank of sergeant at the same time.
McQuillen praised all three sergeants for their achievements, leadership and dedication to public service.
“These are three of the top police officers who have continued to demonstrate their leadership qualities,” he said.
