Chief Joseph D’Annibale is a native of the Town of Newton, where he grew up and attended the Newton School District, graduating from Newton High School in 2001. In January 2004, he began his law enforcement career as a police officer and attended the Morris County Police Academy.

In 2006, he was hired by the Town of Newton Police Department, where he served as a patrolman for the next five years.

In April 2011, Joseph was reassigned to the Detective Bureau. During his tenure, he held several important roles, including Evidence Custodian, Police Liaison to the Newton School District, and Firearms Instructor. He views his experience in the Detective Bureau as a strong foundation for his continued career growth.

In February 2020, Joseph was promoted to Police Sergeant and took command of a patrol squad, supervising three patrol officers. He also served as the lead Firearms Instructor for the Newton Police Department. As a Sergeant, he received several accolades, including a Congressional Certificate of Recognition from Congressman Josh Gottheimer as a “Hometown Hero” for his courageous actions in extinguishing a fire inside a closed business. Additionally, he was awarded a Visions Lifesaving Award from Newton Medical Center for his life-saving CPR intervention.

In June 2022, Joseph was promoted to Lieutenant and took over the Support Services Division. In November of 2024, he was promoted to Chief of Police. 

Dan Finkle was inspired to serve following the heroic acts of first responders on 9/11. He began his public safety career as a volunteer firefighter with the Newton Fire Department in 2002, responding to major incidents such as the Able Oil explosion. Today he remains a member of the department and serves as Director of the Newton Fire Museum.

In 2003, Dan joined the Newton Police Department as a Public Safety Telecommunicator, where he answered 9-1-1 calls for 11 municipalities and contributed to helping modernize dispatch operations. Hired as a police officer in 2006 by Chief John Tomasula, he attended the Somerset County Police Academy and spent over 13 years in the Patrol Division, earning recognition for his expertise and sound judgment. In 2013, he was awarded the 200 Club of Sussex County Medal of Valor for rescuing an entrapped resident from a house fire.

Since 2008, Dan has served with Newton’s Office of Emergency Management and is now the Emergency Management Coordinator, attaining the Advanced Emergency Management Professional and New Jersey Certified Emergency Manager credentials. He helped lead the Town’s response to major disasters, including Hurricanes Irene and Sandy and the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2019, Dan was assigned to the Detective Bureau, leading many criminal investigations and specializing in digital forensics as part of the Sussex County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Promoted to Sergeant in 2021, he first led a patrol squad before assuming command of the Detective Bureau later that year and leading the successful reinstatement of the School Resource Officer program. He also led the creation of the department’s drone unit and the Sussex County Law Enforcement Drone Association.

In November 2024, Dan was assigned as Acting Lieutenant, overseeing the Support Services Division which includes the Detective Bureau, School Resource Officer, 9-1-1 center, animal control, computer network security, and fleet operations. He is a graduate of the prestigious West Point Command & Leadership Academy and holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration and Master’s Degree in Administrative Science from Fairleigh Dickinson University.