Home Press Releases NJ’s Newest Parole Captain is Former San Juan, PR

NJ’s Newest Parole Captain is Former San Juan, PR

Thursday, 07 August 2008

TRENTON - State Parole Board Chairman Peter J. Barnes Jr. today announced the promotion of former Parole Lieutenant Hector Reyes to the rank of Captain. Reyes has been a New Jersey State parole officer since 1997, and a New Jersey resident since 1988. He previously served as an officer in the San Juan City Police Department (Guardia Municipal de San Juan) in his native Puerto Rico. Reyes now is one of five captains in the State Parole Board’s Division of Parole, which includes 425 sworn parole officers charged with the supervision of more than 15,000 parolees across New Jersey. The Captains serve directly under Director of Parole Thomas James, who reports to Chairman Barnes. “Parole officers have one of the most difficult jobs in law enforcement, serving as ‘part cop, part social worker’ and working to help ex-prisoners become law-abiding citizens,” Chairman Barnes said. “Captain Reyes has proven himself an adept leader and an outstanding law enforcement officer.” In his initial, temporary assignment as captain, Reyes will oversee 72 parole lieutenants, sergeants and officers responsible for the supervision of certain parolees throughout central (Burlington, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, northern Ocean and Somerset counties) and northern (Bergen, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, Union and Warren counties) New Jersey. Prior to his promotion, Reyes served as a lieutenant heading the State Parole Board’s district office in Newark, which includes 27 parole sergeants and officers responsible for the supervision of some 1,100 parolees throughout Essex County. In that assignment he fostered the agency’s close partnerships with federal, county and local law enforcement in Essex County, for intelligence sharing and joint street operations. He also built strong partnerships with community-based and faith-based groups that provide job training, counseling and other services to parolees working to build new lives and turn away from crime. Also as a lieutenant, Reyes headed the State Parole Board’s Street Gang Unit, which includes 15 parole officers supervising about 500 parolees statewide who are identified gang members. The Street Gang Unit uses aggressive supervision and intelligence-sharing methods to prevent gang violence and recruitment. The Unit conducts gang education and recognition training for hospitals, universities, public schools and municipal police departments, based on up-to-the-minute information collected during their everyday duties. The Street Gang Unit also provides Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) programming for elementary school students. The New Jersey State Parole Board (SPB) is New Jersey’s lead reentry agency, and works to ensure ex-prisoners return to society as law-abiding citizens. As required by law, appointed Parole Board Members and staff conduct more than 20,000 hearings per year, solicit input from victims and decide parole matters. SPB sworn parole officers supervise more than 15,000 offenders statewide. In addition, SPB is New Jersey's primary law enforcement agency responsible for sex offender supervision. SPB officers are also active partners with multiple Federal, State and local law enforcement agencies and task forces. Finally, SPB's Community Programs Unit partners with government, non-profit and private agencies to connect ex-prisoners with vocational, mental health and related services, targeted to break the cycle and risk of crime.

 

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