Women in the New Jersey State Park Police
More than twenty percent of the State Park Police force is comprised of women. Read more about the women of the State Park Police.
Sergeant Melissa Brown
Sergeant Melissa Brown was hired as a Park Police Officer in April of 1995 and was assigned to Wawayanda State Park. She has been with the state for 18 years. During this time She has worked at all of the parks in Northern New Jersey and was a member of the High Angle Rescue Team.
Four years ago, Sgt. brown was assigned to the NJSPP K9 Unit and was partnered with K9 Nicki, a female Bloodhound. The K9 Unit consists of a total of three handlers and dogs. K9 Nicki is now 5 ½ years old. As a team, she and K-9 Nicki work to locate missing, lost, and wanted individuals on state lands and for other agencies that need assistance. They have had several finds and have assisted in developing and confirming leads in many investigations. Sgt. Brown and K9 Nicki also do outreach programs at schools and for civic groups in the community.
Last year Sgt. Brown was appointed the K9 Unit Supervisor, overseeing agency training and certification training for each member of the K9 Unit.
Sergeant Amanda Smith
Sergeant Amanda Smith currently serves as Assistant District Commander in District 1 of the State Park Police. District 1 encompasses ten state parks and forests, reaching from Allaire State Park to Cape May Point State Park.
Sergeant Smith began her career with the State Park Police in 2002 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. She was involved in the initial accreditation for the department and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 2011.
Throughout her career she has emphasized outreach and the need to give back to the local communities where she serves. She organizes the annual toy drive at Wharton, which has collected thousands of toys for the local community over the years.
She is a recent graduate of the NJ State Association of Chiefs of Police Command & Leadership Academy and is currently pursuing college studies in psychology and education.
How to Apply
For further information, please e-mail a letter of interest with a resume to Stateparkpolice@dep.state.nj.us.