Command Staff

Chief Steven VanNieuwland

Chief of Police

Chief Steven VanNieuwland


He has overall responsibility for the administration of the Police Department which includes but is not necessarily limited to the following:

  • General direction, control and administration
  • Planning responsibilities
  • External affairs
  • Personnel files and records
  • Rules, Regulations, Policies and Procedures
  • Research/Grants
  • Purchasing/procurement
  • Budget preparation

Chief VanNieuwland can be reached at (973) 383-2525 x264 or svannieuwland@newtonpolice.org.

Lieutenant Thomas Muller

Operations Division Commander

Lt. Thomas Muller

I grew up in the Town of Newton where I attended and graduated from the Newton Public School system. After graduating from Newton High School, I attended Montclair State University where I played four years of college football and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History with a minor in Criminal Justice.

I was hired by the Newton Police Department in November of 1998 and graduated from 198th Basic Course for Municipal Police Officers at the New Jersey State Police Academy in Sea Girt, NJ. Upon graduation, I was assigned to the Patrol Division where I handled the duties and responsibilities of a Patrol Officer.

In July of 2007, I was assigned to the Detective Bureau where I remained for the next 10 years. While assigned to the Detective Bureau, I was involved in hundreds of criminal investigations, was the Evidence Custodian and the Domestic Preparedness Officer, and conducted Alcohol Beverage Control investigations and inspections. I am a former President of the Sussex County Detectives’ Association and was awarded the Detective of the Year in 2010 by the association. I’ve worked cooperatively with Detectives from various law enforcement agencies throughout Sussex county as well as the State of NJ, PA, and NY.

In 2017, I was promoted to Sergeant and reassigned to the Patrol Division. As a Patrol Sergeant, I was responsible for supervising, training, and mentoring the Patrol Officers on my squad. During my time as a Patrol Sergeant, I served as a Field Training Officer and was responsible for the overall review of all Domestic Violence investigations for the Department.

In 2020, I was reassigned to the Detective Bureau where I served as the Detective Sergeant. I was responsible for supervising, training, and mentoring the Detectives assigned to the Detective Bureau as well as the supervision and overall review of all criminal investigations for the Department.

In 2021, I was promoted to the Lieutenant where I supervise the Operations Division and continue to supervise the Detective Bureau. My duties and responsibilities include:

  • Supervision and scheduling of the patrol division
  • Planning and supervision of special events
  • Public Information Officer
  • Internal Affairs
  • Supervision, scheduling, and/or performing departmental training
  • Accident Report reviews
  • Supervision of Court Discovery process
  • Managing the employee Performance Evaluation System

Lieutenant Muller can be reached at (973) 383-2525 x 264 or tmuller@newtonpolice.org.

Lt. Scott King

Lieutenant Scott King

Support Services Division Commander

 

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Lieutenant King’s responsibilities include:

  • Communications / 9-1-1
  • Supervision, scheduling and training of the 9-1-1 Communications Operators
  • Conduct background investigations on prospective 9-1-1 Communications Operators
  • Receive and investigate citizen complaints against 9-1-1 Communications Operators
  • Liaison to all agencies and municipalities that contract emergency telephone answering and/ or dispatching services with the Town of Newton
  • Regularly reviews all audio tape recordings of telephone and radio communications
  • Prepare audio recordings for evidence and/or pending court proceedings
  • Computer Network
  • Terminal Agency Coordinator (TAC)
  • Police Vehicle Maintenance
  • Police Equipment
  • Maintain the police vehicles’ mobile data terminals and in-car video recording system
  • Maintain the departments breath testing equipment
  • Maintain police, fire and EMS radio and communication equipment
  • Supervision and scheduling of school crossing guards
  • Conduct background investigations on school crossing guards
  • Serves as the department’s counter terrorism officer
  • Buildings and Grounds
  • Security in and around police headquarters
  • Certifies and monitors towing companies that tow for the police department
  • Department Liaison to the Office of Emergency Management
  • Maintaining records
  • Required Budgeting
  • Required Reporting

Lieutenant King can be reached at (973) 383-2525 x264 or sking@newtonpolice.org.

TRUST ~ INTEGRITY ~ TRADITION