Boro seeks replacement for retired police capt. BY DANIEL HOWLEY Staff Writer EATONTOWN - The Borough Council is currently searching for a police captain to replace Capt. Jerome Brady, who retired on March 31 from the position he held for three decades. At an April 23 council meeting, where Brady was honored by council for his years of dedication and service to the borough, Brady said he was "disappointed" that council had not yet hired a replacement to fill his vacated seat. Brady announced to council in October that he would be officially stepping down from the position. "I thank you for all of the support you have given over the years to the police department," Brady said to council at the meeting. "I ask you to continue that support. "I am a little bit saddened and somewhat disheartened that you haven't found a replacement yet. Everyone in this department aspires to be somebody. "We count on rank to be our motivation to succeed and move forward," he said, adding, "So I ask you as mayor and council to move forward and get that one done quickly." Brady joined the force in August 1978 as a department dispatcher and was later appointed to the position of patrolman. He climbed to the rank of captain in 2005. "Jerry is a class act and has always been a class act," Mayor Gerald Tarantolo said about Brady at the meeting. "The residents of Eatontown, Jerry, would truly like to wish you a long, happy and healthy retirement, and the door is always open. Come back and see us," he said. Council also recognized Sgt. Lawrence Devito and Detective James Digiovanni, who have also retired from the borough police department. Devito was appointed to the Eatontown Police Department in January 1981. "[Devito] received many letters of commendation throughout his career," Tarantolo said, which include commendations for lifesaving, assistance in an Amber Alert, and working effectively with other local police departments. Digiovanni served on the borough police force for 19 years. During that time, he served as the borough's Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) officer and was appointed to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office Narcotics Task Force in 1991. Over the course of his career, Digiovanni received four awards for courageous action and two awards for locating an armed burglar, according to Tarantolo.