Dudeck Named Police Chief of Consolidated Princeton

Princeton Borough Police Chief David Dudeck has been selected to serve as the chief for the united Princeton.

The personnel selection committee unanimously recommended him for the post, Borough Administrator Robert Bruschi said. The governing bodies of Princeton Borough and Princeton Township also unanimously approved the appointment at a joint meeting tonight.

We should be really happy as a community that we have the talent we have,” Bruschi said of the candidate pool. “We are clearly set up well in the police department to handle succession planning with all the talented and dedicated individuals we have working for us.”

Dudeck has been a member of the Princeton Borough Police Department for 29 years and was named chief in 2009.  He has been a patrolman, patrol sergeant, detective sergeant, operations lieutenant, and administrative lieutenant. He also served as the department’s DARE officer, juvenile officer, and has been a member of the safe neighborhood’s unit.  He received a bachelor’s degree from Trenton State College and has done graduate course work at Seton Hall University.

Township and Borough officials debated the selection process for the chief for the last few months. Six officers were eligible to apply. Three Borough officers who were eligible to apply did not out of loyalty to Dudeck and their understanding of state rules regarding the position. Two Township officers, Acting Chief Chris Morgan and Lt. Robert Toole, also applied for the job.

Dudeck was not in attendance when the announcement was made because he is attending the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs annual conference.