Women in the New Jersey State Park Police
More than 20 percent of the State Park Police force is comprised of women.
Meet some of the women of the State Park Police.
Lieutenant Carmel Capoferri
Lieutenant Carmel Capoferri currently serves as the Southern New Jersey Region Commander of the State Park Police overseeing the law enforcement operations of seven state parks and forests, encompassing more than 200,000 acres.
Lieutenant Capoferri began her career with the State Park Police in 1996 as an officer at Wharton State Forest in Southern New Jersey. Located in the heart of the Pinelands with more than 500 miles of unpaved roads winding through the forest, it was the perfect initiation into the Search & Rescue aspect of the job. Her ascent through the ranks began in 2000 when she was promoted to Sergeant. She was instrumental in establishing the first Search & Research Canine Unit in the State Park Police.
Throughout her career she has emphasized outreach and the need to give back to the local communities were she serves. Now in its fifth year, she initiated the annual toy drive at Wharton, collecting thousands of toys for the local community over the years.
She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Ecology from Rutgers University and is pursuing her Masters in Science at Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Officer Mary Patricia Pfeil
Presently serving as an Officer at Worthington State Forest in Northern New Jersey. Officer Pfeil began her career with the State Park Police 10 years ago. She was first introduced to the state parks working seasonally as an Appalachian Trail Ridgerunner, and for the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.
Navigating the rugged terrain of Northern New Jersey can be quite challenging at times. A notable assignment includes overseeing the Appalachian Trail Ridgerunner Program, including three seasonal employees who foot patrol the 72 plus miles of the Appalachian Trail that run through New Jersey.
Officer Pfeil’s primary responsibilities focus on visitors and resource protection. Responsibilities run the gamut, from education, enforcement, emergency response, and search and rescue, to high angle rescue, backcountry patrol, campground management, motor vehicle law, fish and wildlife law and criminal law.
When asked what aspects of the job she enjoys the most, she said “I love high angle rescue, the Appalachian Trail, the New Jersey Ridgerunner program and the backcountry. I love the unexpected nature of the job and the wildness of the forest where I work.”
