It is believed that the Hopewell Township Police Department started part-time in the 1920’s or early 1930’s. The first Chief of Police was Clifford Snook. Chief Snook’s brother, Russel A. Snook, later became the fourth Colonel and superintendent of the New Jersey State Police.

Carlton “Cubby” Force followed Chief Snook and served from 1936 to 1949. Chief Malcolm Joiner took over from Chief Force and led the department until 1969 when Mathew J. Maloney became the first full-time Chief of Police. He served from 1969 to 1982.

In January of 1974 the department began delivering 24-hour service to the residents of Hopewell Township. Until that time the New Jersey State Police Hopewell Barracks answered many of the calls for service from township residents. 

Chief Robert J. Ferrarin, who had served as a part-time patrol officer before becoming a full-time officer in 1974 became the second full-time Chief in 1982 and served until 1995.

Chief Michael A. Chipowsky also served the department in a part-time capacity, as a special officer. He became a full-time patrol officer in 1974 and rose through the ranks to become the Chief of Police in 1995. During his tenure he brought the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program to the department. He also implemented a completely digital dispatch and records management system for the department. Chief Chipowsky retired in 2006.

Chief George C. Meyer was sworn into office in March of 2006 and became the fourth full time Chief of the department. One of Chief Meyer’s many duties included serving as the Hopewell Valley Emergency Management Executive Director. In this capacity, Chief Meyer was instrumental in coordinating emergency operations during the severe windstorm in March of 2010, Tropical Storm Irene in August of 2011 and Hurricane Sandy in October of 2012. Chief Meyer served for 38 years, having begun his career in 1975 and retiring at the end of 2013.

Chief Lance D. Maloney (no relation to Matthew J. Maloney) was sworn into Office January 1, 2014. He began his career with the Hopewell Township Police Department in January of 1994. Chief Maloney saw the technological advances of this profession, which included the Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR) we now have in our patrol vehicles and the implementation of the Body Worn Cameras (BWC). Chief Maloney retired in 2020.

Chief James Rosso joined the Hopewell Township Police Department in November of 2003 as a Patrol Officer. Chief Rosso has served in many roles and liaison positions within the department, including Traffic Officer, Field Training Officer, Supervising Firearms Instructor, and Training Coordinator. Chief Rosso was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 2017 and Lieutenant in 2021.Chief Rosso is a graduate of the New Jersey State Association of Chief of Police supervision program, the Mid-Atlantic Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar, and is an FBI LEEDA Trilogy Award recipient graduating from the Supervisor, Command, and Executive Leadership Institutes. Chief Rosso earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from Fairleigh Dickinson University and is currently pursuing his Master’s degree in Public Administration.