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Timothy O'Hara was chosen by Mayor Jim Wysocki as the 9th police chief in Mahwah's nearly 80-year-history.
The Township Council approved the appointment of O'Hara at the June 19 public meeting to succeed four-year Police Chief Stephen Jaffe, whose retirement becomes effective July 1.
The vote was 7-0.
Wysocki said O'Hara is an excellent choice because of his professionalism, among other strengths. The mayor should know -- he's a retired police township police officer.
O'Hara understands the value of communicating with the community, his officers and fellow law enforcers in the region, Wysocki said.
The new chief is considered more of a forward thinker and a better communicator than his predecessor. His intelligence and expertise, as the mayor noted, have proven valuable in crime fighting.
"Tim is well respected throughout the law enforcement community, not just in Mahwah," Wysocki said following Monday night's vote. "His heart is in the Mahwah Police Department. It shows in his work ethic.
"Chief O'Hara's leadership will be greatly accepted," the mayor added. "The township is very fortunate to have him."
O'Hara was graduated from the University of Delaware with a B.A. in Criminal Justice and earned his Master of Arts Degree from Seton Hall University. He joined the department as an officer in January 1999, was quickly made sergeant, then was promoted to lieutenant in May 2020.
O'Hara has had extensive training and acquired significant certifications in, among other areas, defensive tactics, active shooter response and ballistic shield instruction.
The new chief has held positions of major responsibility within his department. He's been the active shooter training coordinator, the officer field training program supervisor and the agency expungement coordinator, a position that is both time-sensitive and tedious.
O'Hara has also received several meritorious medals, an honorable service medal and the 200 Club Law Enforcement Role Model award.
One of many actions for which he received recognition was his involvement in the capture of a pair of bank robbers.
SEE: Brave Driver Helps Mahwah PD Nab Fleeing Route 17 Bank Robbers
Jaffe had been captain for 17 years when the Township Council approved his appointment by former Mayor John Roth to replace retired Chief James Batelli in 2019.
Jaffe joined the department as a patrol officer nearly 30 years ago, was promoted to detective four years later and became captain four years after that.
During his tenure he served as the commanding officer of the UASI (Urban Area Security Initiative), the Bergen County Rapid Deployment Team and the Multi Agency and Resource Squad (M.A.R.S.), working with various federal, state, county and municipal law enforcement agencies on high-profile crimes.
Jaffe was also the executive officer of the UASI for five years before that.
The outgoing chief earned 16 post-graduate credits at the F.B.I. academy in Quantico, Va., obtained his Masters in leadership and supervision from Seton Hall University – where he was a member of the International Honor Society -- and was graduated from Bergen Catholic High School (Class of ’86), where he played football and was involved in the campus ministry.
Jaffe received his Bachelor’s degree in finance from Pace University, where he played football (team captain in 1991) and was an assistant coach for a year.
He was a member of the Mahwah Municipal Alliance, was heavily involved in township schools and the Board of Education and was his department's liaison to Ramapo College.
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