>THE RECORD
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
By Evonne Coutros
RIDGEWOOD — After serving six months as acting police chief, John LiPuma has been named to the top post of the 43-member Police Department.
LiPuma, 48, a resident of Midland Park, will be sworn in as police chief at a Village Hall ceremony at 8 p.m., Jan. 14 and brings 23 years of experience to the job, Village Manager James Ten Hoeve said.
“I’m assessing the needs of the police department,” LiPuma said Tuesday, just days after the appointment became official.
LiPuma, a 1978 graduate of Ridgewood High School and a 1983 graduate of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, will be paid $158,295, the same salary as William Corcoran, who retired from the post after 27 years.
One priority is to develop team goals and objectives which will be established with the involvement of the entire police management group, LiPuma and Ten Hoeve said.
Another is to improve the Ridgewood Police Department Web site to make public information readily available, LiPuma and Ten Hoeve said.
“John LiPuma has the respect of the entire Police Department and is a highly functioning team builder and a proactive proponent of working with the council and the public,” Ten Hoeve said.