Sgt. Mark VonColln to replace him
NORTHFIELD — Paul Newman may not be riding off into the sunset literally but he is retiring as the top law officer in the city of Northfield.
City Council voted unanimously Nov. 2 to appoint Sgt. Mark VonColln to replace Newman, a lifelong city resident who has been with the department since 1994.
VonColln will take over effective Jan. 1, 2023, at a salary of $136,600. Compensation includes two personal days, 25 vacation days and 15 sick days annually. Vacation leave is capped at 37 days.
Mayor Erland Chau said the hiring committee “interviewed three very qualified candidates and could choose only one,” noting the contract was reviewed by the city’s labor attorney and solicitor.
City Council President Tom Polistina said VonColln is well qualified for the position, as were the other two candidates, whom he said he looks forward to working with in the future.
Newman, who graduated from Mainland Regional High School in 1985, went on to enlist in the U.S. Army, where he served as a military police officer. He worked as a Class I special officer for the Delaware River and Bay Authority before joining the Northfield Police Department as a patrolman.
Newman moved up through the ranks, being promoted to sergeant in 2003, acting lieutenant in 2012, acting captain in 2014 and then acting chief in February 2015, when the city severed its agreement with Linwood to share a chief. The following year, Newman gave up the acting role, being named chief June 28.
Newman and his wife of 25 years, Kimberley, have two sons, Jack, 23, and Patrick, 20, who were raised in the city and attended local schools.
He earned an associate degree at Atlantic Cape Community College and graduated from Stockton University in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
“It was something I always wanted to do,” he said, noting he got hired shortly after earning his associate degree, got married and had kids — all things that took up a lot of his time. “I’ve always been a believer in higher education for law enforcement; it opens minds and opens doors.”
He said being able to serve as chief of his hometown is “one of the most rewarding aspects of my career.”
“To be chief in the town you grew up in is something special — you couldn’t ask for more,” Newman said.
While the department has stayed relatively the same as far as manpower goes, with the exception of a short time when the chief position was shared with Linwood Police Department, what has changed is the technological aspect.
Newman said there were no onboard computers, dash cams or body cams when he joined the force.
“We did everything on paper before that. Everything we did was from memory,” he said. “We learned to take really good notes. Now they have a camera in the car and on the body armor they wear.”
Newman said he is grateful for the opportunities his job has afforded him to serve the community and meet a lot of people he may never would have come into contact with otherwise.
A new sheriff in town
Newman said he has worked VonColln for many years, noting the next chief was “one of a group of new guys” who started at the same time and now are moving into senior management or retiring.
VonCollin, 50, grew up in West Cape May, where his parents still live. He graduated in 1990 from Lower Cape May Regional High School, where he played football and baseball. He has been married for 18 years and has three children — two sons and a daughter.
VonColln lived in the city for 18 years, during which time his children attended Northfield Community School. His older son went to Mainland Regional High School and the other to Atlantic Christian School, while his daughter is a student at Egg Harbor Township, where they have lived for the past couple of years.
VonColln served as a Class II officer in Wildwood and attended the Cape May Country Police Academy. In Wildwood, he was partners with future Northfield officer Marty Peary, who told him about the city and urged him to apply for a job.
“He called me and told me to look at this place, saying it’s a great place to work, a small-town community,” VonColln said. “I came up here, looked at it, interviewed and took a test — that was 24 years ago.”
Pearly passed away seven years ago after suffering a heart attack.
VonColln was promoted to sergeant in 2007, a position he has served in for 17 years.
“Then I decided to throw my hat in for chief and it ended up working out for me,” he said.
VonCollm said he plans to stay on the job for a while.
“I would like to be here long enough to have an impact on the department, to improve the environment and satisfy some goals and objectives,” he said.
VonColln earned a bachelor’s degree from Stockton University in criminal justice and a master’s degree from Seton Hall University in human resources.
He hopes to use his knowledge and experience to “continue to development the relationship between our officers and our community.”
Other goals include increasing involvement with youth and the school system, fostering a team-oriented approach to law enforcement and working with local and state agencies on larger issues.
VonColln said he is a proponent of community policing, noting his extensive involvement with youth sports through coaching baseball, street hockey and softball.
“I’ve always been people-oriented and been an active member of the community,” he said.
The city and police department hosted a bicycle rodeo over the summer at Birch Grove Park, where the annual Trunk or Treat was held Oct. 8. He estimated more than 1,000 people attended the event, which he called a huge success in a safe, controlled environment.
“I aim to continue with those things and provide excellent customer service,” he said, noting he was able to establish a very good friendship base here and has “a good pulse on the community.”
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
