Hopewell Township Police Lieutenant James Rosso has been promoted to the Hopewell Township Chief of Police. He was sworn in during the Monday, May 16, Township Committee meeting.
Chief Rosso has been with the Hopewell Township Police Department for 19 of his twenty-three years of police experience, serving as a Patrol Officer, Sergeant, and Lieutenant. Prior to joining the HTPD, he was a patrol officer in Lambertville and with the Sheriff's Office in Hunterdon County. He holds a bachelor's degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Criminal Justice with a specialization in Public Administration.
Chief Rosso is a 4th generation police officer. His great-grandfather and grandfather were Chiefs of Police, and his father retired as the Deputy Warden at the Hunterdon County Jail. Chief Rosso's grandfather-in-law was a retired Captain with Ewing Township Police and his father-in-law retired as Lieutenant with Ewing Township Police. With this history, Chief Rosso feels honored to follow in his family's footsteps.
Mayor Courtney Peters-Manning expressed her full confidence in the new Chief, saying, "Chief Rosso is a strong leader with a forward-looking vision for the Police Department. His track record of conflict resolution, passion for mentorship and community engagement, and his innovative ideas will continue to move the Hopewell Township Police Department forward. The rest of the Township Committee and I are looking forward to working with him and seeing him implement his vision and leadership in his new role."
Township Administrator George Snyder welcomes him into his new role, saying, "I have admired Jim's work as Lieutenant and look forward to working with him in his new role as Chief. We have a wonderful community as well as an excellent Police Department, and Jim's years of experience as a police officer is an asset to Hopewell Township."
The Chief is thrilled to have been chosen for this role and for the opportunity to make a difference. He expresses his gratitude to the Township Committee for placing their confidence in him to lead the department. He also is appreciative of his colleagues in the Department, whose support and teamwork he can trust. As he formulates his plans for the future, he knows they will include a team approach. He had inspirational mentors as a young officer, and he plans to mentor and guide the Hopewell Township's newer officers so that they can have the excellent start to their careers that he had.
"I am honored and humbled to have been chosen as the next Chief of the Hopewell Township Police Department," Rosso says. "I thank Police Director Karmazin for his work over the past 18 months, and I am excited to have the opportunity to continue his work improving the Police Department's relationship and transparency with the community."
Chief Rosso is a lifelong resident of Hunterdon County, NJ, who enjoys spending time at the shore, coaching youth sports, volunteering with veterans' organizations, and reading for leisure about history and current events.
If you would like to contact Chief Rosso, he can be reached at jrosso@hopewelltwp.org.