By LYNDA COHEN, BreakingAC
Stockton University’s newest police chief comes as part of a set.
Tracy Stuart, the school’s first K-9 officer, will remain a handler as she takes over the top spot with the university’s department.
“Freya and I are still a duo,” Stuart told BreakingAC of the 8-year-old golden retriever.
Stuart was sworn in Wednesday by Stockton President Joe Bertolino, becoming the school’s first permanent female officer. Since-retired Lt. Cynthia Parker served as interim before a civilian public safety director in.
“Congratulations Chief Stuart and thank you for accepting this important assignment to lead this important transition for the university,” Bertolino said at the swearing-in ceremony. “It certainly will not be easy, but from the get-go, you’re our person to lead, and we knew that right away.”
Stuart, 53, also had her mother, Cynthia, by her side as she took her oath.
“I’m eternally grateful for your support and trust, for feeling valued, for feeling like my vision is something that you visualize as well,” Stuart said. “We’re going forward, and we’re all coming together. When we go forward, our students go forward, or university goes forward. It’s a ripple effect. That’s the goal.”
Stuart’s mentor, retired Stafford Township Police Chief Thomas Conroy, also was at the gathering for the president’s biannual address to staff in the Campus Center Event Room.
“If there was anyone who’s a dedicated Stockton employee, it’s Tracy Stuart,” Conroy said. “If my family were coming here to go to school, I’d be proud and I’d feel safe knowing that Chief Stuart was going to make sure that my family was safe.”
Stuart joined the department in 2007.
She became a fixture on campus through classroom presentations on emergency preparedness and educating students how to protect themselves on campus.
In 2011, she became Stockton’s first K-9 officer with a chocolate Lab named Hemi.
Hemi retired in 2020, and became a full-time pet along with big brother to Freya. He passed away last year.
Stuart and Freya have continued setting the bar high when it comes to dog and handler.
Stuart is currently Stockton’s only K-9 officer, but it hoping to change that.
“When our staff increases, I have prospects of adding to our K-9 unit,” she said. “I’m excited about growing and developing our individual personnel and our department as a whole.”
Stuart began her law enforcement career as a Class I and Class II officer in Avon-by-the-Sea in Monmouth County, after getting her bachelor’s in Criminology and Justice Studies from The College of New Jersey. She loved how the seaside town was family oriented.
“You had an opportunity to socialize and engage with families and young kids and get to know them,” she said. “I knew, early on, that I liked that family setting, so when Stockton was hiring, I thought it would be interesting to work in an agency that was pretty small and also they were big on community engagement — getting to know the students, faculty and staff.”
So, she took a chance on campus policing — something she had never considered before — in search of that “whole family vibe.”
“People know each other here. People care about each other and the students here,” said Stuart, who received a master’s degree in Instructional Technology in 2017 and a doctorate in Organizational Leadership at Stockton in 2021. “If I have the opportunity to positively impact the youth of today so that they can be successful and essentially take care of us tomorrow, then that’s something that makes me fulfilled.”
Her devotion to Stockton is also clear to Don Hudson, Stockton’s senior vice president for Facilities and Operations who oversees the Stockton police.
“I’ve known Tracy for over 11 years, and she has shown nothing but the highest level of professionalism,” Hudson said. “I’m really looking forward to working with her for years to come.”
As the new chief, her main priority is recruitment and retention. She wants to increase personnel numbers and bring the department that’s currently at 18 sworn officers “up to its highest potential and highest standards so we can be the best versions of ourselves and be the best department to serve this community.
“Parents entrust us with their kids ‘en loco parentis,’ year after year, so we have to meet and exceed their expectations,” she said.
She also emphasized that everyone in the department will provide what she calls VIP service:
- Visibility: “People want to see us. We have to be out and about so students feel safe.”
- Interactions: “People want to get to know us. They want to interact with us.”
- Preparedness: “I have to make sure my officers and other personnel have the tools and equipment to do the job.”
Stuart wants to foster a positive culture within the department, so everyone can feel the same way she does about Stockton University.
“People say it’s a job, and yes I get a paycheck, but it’s so much more than that,” she said. “I believe that when you are passionate about something, it helps you do your job even better. I want to help boost morale so that people have the desire, not just the tools, to do their jobs and strive to be highly proficient.”
