BY SUE MORGAN
Staff Writer

West Long Branch WEST LONG BRANCH –– When the borough’s police chief and captain came forward to formally assign duties to three newly promoted officers before a standing-room-only crowd last week inside the Borough Council’s chambers, you could have heard a pin drop.

As police Capt. Lawrence L. Mihlon read a description of the duties to be carried out by the three honorees —- Lieutenant Richard Stahl, Sgt. James P. Gomez and Sgt. Brian Kramer — Chief Arthur Cosentino looked each of the men steadily in the eye before handing over their certificates of promotion.

Both Cosentino and Mihlon, themselves newly promoted earlier this month, then exchanged formal police salutes with Stahl, Gomez and Kramer, who together have a total of 38 years of law enforcement experience with the West Long Branch department.

For the families, friends, borough officials and brotherhood of officers, including recently retired chief John Demaree, the dignity and grace of the salutes that capped off the Feb. 15 installation ceremony was inspiring.

The event at the onset of that night’s council meeting marked the second such ceremony, coming two weeks after Cosentino and Mihlon were sworn to their duties.

Stahl, a 26-year department veteran, takes over Mihlon’s former post.

Gomez, known to borough schoolchildren as a DARE officer, and Kramer, who revived the department’s Police Explorer program almost eight years ago, take over two positions left vacant by Stahl’s promotion and by a recent retirement.

Both Stahl and Gomez formerly worked for Monmouth University early in their careers — Stahl in the early 1970s and Gomez from October, 1989 to February, 1994.

Stahl, a certified police photographer since 1973, was promoted to sergeant during his tenure at what was then called Monmouth College. Gomez received a meritorious service award in 1993 for apprehending an armed stalker on that campus, a copy of his resume states.

Kramer, a Monmouth alumnus who holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, received the borough’s commendation for life saving in April 2001, according to his resume.

Presently supervisor of the department’s vehicle fleet, Stahl started as a patrolman in 1976 and moved to the detective bureau in 1984. That same year, he was named the department’s juvenile officer, according to his resume.

In 1998, Stahl moved up to sergeant and also became the force’s bias crimes and gangs officer. He is currently treasurer of the Monmouth County Bias Crimes Officer Association.

Outside of work, Stahl is a member of the Italian American Police Officer Society of New Jersey, a past vice-president of the Italian-American Memorial Association, and member of the Elks Lodge in Eatontown.

Gomez, a 1990 graduate of the Monmouth County Police Academy, holds an associate’s degree in computer science from Boston’s Wentworth Institute of Technology. He joined the department as a patrolman in February, 1994 and became a detective in May, 2004.

Aside from his DARE certification, Gomez was also certified as an emergency medical technician in December, 1994 and as a juvenile officer in May, 2004.

For his assistance in investigating a triple homicide, Gomez received an outstanding service award in 1995.

A member of the borough’s first aid squad, Gomez holds four lifesaving medals — two for applying cardiopulmonary resuscitation and two others involving use of a defibrillator.

Kramer began his tenure in March, 1996, as a part-time dispatcher, subsequently moving into that position full-time in July of the same year, his resume states.

He graduated from the county police academy as a Class II officer in 1997 and joined the department as a patrolman the following year.

In July 1999, Kramer became the physical training coordinator for the New Jersey Law Enforcement Exploring Academy.

Back at the police academy, Kramer and Marlboro Patrol Officer Stephen Levy started the Monmouth County Explorer Academy in 2004, the same year that he was recognized as the Explorer Advisor of the Year by the Boy Scouts of America.

Since April 2004, Kramer was assigned to the traffic safety bureau. Since January, Kramer has served as the borough’s assistant fire chief.