JUSTIN COCUZZA
Howell,NJ
Summary
Police Captain with 19 years of progressive law enforcement leadership and a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice. Expertise in conducting facility threat assessments, developing safety policies, and coordinating crisis response initiatives. Seeking to bring public-safety leadership and threat assessment expertise to Hackensack Meridian Health's Threat Assessment program.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Captain
Keansburg Police Department
Keansburg, NJ
05.2025 - Current
- Commands a 40-member police department, directing all operations, policy development, and budget oversight.
- Oversees department-wide threat assessment initiatives, crisis-response programs, and safety training, enhancing department readiness and response capabilities.
- Coordinates interagency collaboration with county, state, hospital, and community partners to enhance public safety outcomes.
Training Lieutenant
Keansburg Police Department
Keansburg, NJ
07.2021 - 05.2025
- Spearheaded the department-wide training curriculum, ensuring all in-service and crisis-response instruction aligned with evolving threat landscapes and regulatory mandates.
- Led monthly interagency active-shooter training for officers from multiple departments across Monmouth County, standardizing crisis-response tactics regionally.
- Conducted K-12 facility threat assessments with school district leadership, identifying security vulnerabilities and co-authoring hardening policies and emergency-response protocols.
- Coordinated training programs for new officers and ongoing staff development.
- Secured up to $25,000 in grant funding through data-driven cases using NJDOT DASHTOWare Safety crash statistics, translating community risk priorities into funded enforcement and prevention initiatives.
Patrol Lieutenant
Keansburg Police Department
Keansburg, NJ
07.2021 - 01.2023
- Directed primary on-scene operations during critical incidents, coordinating tactical responses and integrating multi-agency resources.
- Managed response to emergency situations, ensuring public safety and order.
- Led patrol shifts, managing daily field operations, incident response, and performance standards for subordinate officers.
- Supervised daily patrol operations across designated neighborhoods.
Sergeant
Keansburg Police Department
Keansburg, NJ
03.2017 - 07.2021
- Supervised daily patrol operations and led complex investigations, including DUI and motor-vehicle collisions, ensuring thorough crash-scene management and accurate reporting.
- Mentored and trained junior officers in patrol tactics, investigative procedures, and departmental policy, fostering professional development.
- Managed patient/prisoner transport logistics with hospital security and EMS, facilitating safe and compliant transport processes.
Patrolman
Keansburg Police Department
Keansburg, NJ
08.2007 - 03.2017
- Cultivated strong community relationships through proactive outreach, problem-solving, and de-escalation techniques during nearly a decade of frontline service.
- Responded to high volume of service calls, effectively managing emergencies, conducting preliminary investigations, and enforcing state laws and local ordinances.
- Authored detailed incident reports, arrest warrants, and charging documents, ensuring accuracy for all legal proceedings.
- Gained foundational expertise in patrol, investigations, community policing, and frontline crisis response.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Criminal Justice
Monmouth University
West Long Branch, NJ01-2007
Skills
- Crisis response coordination
- Violence prevention
- Safety training
- Emergency management
- Public safety coordination
- Funding strategies
- Threat assessment
- Policy development
- Interagency collaboration
- Risk assessment
- Crisis management
Certifications And Specialized Training
- THIRA and Stakeholder Preparedness Review, TEEX/DHS/FEMA, 02/23
- FEMA IS-360 and IS-362.A (school/mass-casualty emergency planning)
- K-12 Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Training, SIGMA Threat Management, 02/22
- Active Shooter Incident Management, C3 Pathways, 01/20
- Methods of Instruction, 01/2019
- Rapid Response to Active Shooter Instructors Course, 01/19
- Bayshore Task Force Active Threat Response Training, 07/17
- ICS-800, ICS-400, ICS-300, ICS-200, ICS-100
Timeline
Captain
Keansburg Police Department
05.2025 - Current
Training Lieutenant
Keansburg Police Department
07.2021 - 05.2025
Patrol Lieutenant
Keansburg Police Department
07.2021 - 01.2023
Sergeant
Keansburg Police Department
03.2017 - 07.2021
Patrolman
Keansburg Police Department
08.2007 - 03.2017
Bachelor of Arts - Criminal Justice
Monmouth University