Stephen Coveleski (left) with Police Chief Josiah Murphy, was sworn in at a Palmyra council meeting on Nov. 18.
Surrounded by family and friends, officer Stephen Coveleski was sworn in to the rank of lieutenant at a council meeting on Nov. 18.
Coveleski had recently worked as an administrative sergeant, and prior to that, was in the patrol division.
“The lieutenant has had a huge part in molding the department to where it is today, from his leadership as well as training many of the current patrol officers we have today,” the police department posted on social media.
Coveleski completed the New Jersey State Chiefs of Police command and leadership course in 2019. The four-month training is highly regimented and based on leadership principals developed at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. The police department has had members take the class for more than 15 years, a requirement for all of our supervisors. Coveleski graduated at the top of his class and was awarded the Chief Harry Wilde Academic Achievement Award.
Coveleski came to the department from the North Wildwood Police Department in 2012. Three years later, he was promoted to sergeant. In 2015, he earned a law-enforcement commendation from the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office for his role in assisting with the apprehension of Kyle J. Crosby, a 28-year-old Mount Laurel fugitive wanted in connnection with the murder of his missing wife, Erica Crippen.
Coveleski was off duty when he spotted Crosby, who was sentenced to 31 years in prison, according to reports.
