Several officers were promoted to higher ranks in the Kearny Police Department in swearing-in ceremonies at Town Hall March 25.
Kevin Arnesman and Christopher Levchak were elevated from lieutenant to captain. Michael Gonzalez ascended from sergeant to lieutenant. And, Anthony Oliveira, Richard Poplaski Jr. and Thomas Sumkowski were promoted from patrol officers to sergeant.
Mayor Carol Jean Doyle administered the oaths of office for all the newly promoted, with scores of family, friends, colleagues and residents on hand.
Police Chief Scott Macfie, meanwhile, spoke of all the newly promoted after each too their oaths.
• “Chris Levchak joined the Kearny Police Department in 2009 after spending a year at the Hudson County Sheriff’s Department. In 2017, Chris was promoted to sergeant and in 2023, he was promoted to lieutenant. Chris spent his career in patrol division and is looking forward to beginning administrative role the department. Chris is the son of retired Kearny police Lt. Steve Levchak and his mother, Barbara, is an emergency room nurse. He is married to Sophia and has two children, Lucas and Annabel. Chris has two siblings that are also nurses and his brother, Stephen, who is a Kearny fireman. Chris wanted me to mention that growing up, he was a member of Boy Scout Troop 305, attaining the rank of Eagles Scout.”
• “Kevin Arnesman joined the Kearny Police Department in 2013. He graduated bachelor’s degree from Montclair State University and started his career in law enforcement as a class two special with the Essex County Sheriff’s Department. He logged over 2,000 hours of volunteer service with them in a five-year career. He is working toward a master’s degree with the University of Massachusetts. Kevin was promoted to sergeant in 2019 and lieutenant in 2023. He has had a variety of assignments, including a detective bureau and the evidence unit. Most recently, he has been assigned to the chief’s office. I can say the chief’s office runs especially as officially as it does, thanks to Kevin, TJ (Hernandez) and Vanessa (Sevillano). Kevin has also authored half of the policies that run the day-to-day operations of the department.
• “Michael Gonzalez joined the Kearny Police Department in 2001 after a short career with the New Jersey Department of Corrections. While at the County Police Academy, Michael won the physical fitness award. Mike was assigned to the patrol division and direct the patrol unit until he became a detective in 2009. As detective, Michael was named Police Officer of the Year on two occasions, once in 2009 and again in 2013. Mike was promoted sergeant in 2015. In 2017, the Hudson County Regional SWAT team was formed with Mike taking a leadership role from its inception. He was named a deputy commander. He remained with the team until 2024. He has received over 30 commendations in his career and is currently assigned to the Records Bureau while also serving as the department’s range master. Mike is the son of Pablo and Miriam Gonzales. Mike recently completed his bachelor’s degree from Farleigh Dickinson University and is joined tonight by his daughter, son and girlfriend, Officer Ellesse Ogando.
• “Richard Poplaski is a third-generation Kearny police officer. His grandfather, Ed, served for 27 years. His father, Richard, served for 30 years. Richard started in in 2015. The family has dedicated 67 years of service to the town of Kearny so far. Quite an accomplishment. Rich says his greatest influence has been his mother, Donna. Rich was Policemen of the Year in 2016. Richard has attended almost as many training schools as Mike Gonzalez. Richard is a member of the department rifle unit, is a firearms instructor, field-training officer, traffic-control officer and CPR instructor. He is a member of the Honor Guard and serves as support with the Tour de Force. He is an EMT and my deputy OEM coordinator. He currently works in the planning unit. Richard has been and this is maybe most important to him, a volunteer fireman since 2005 and is currently the chief of Company Four of the West Milford Fire Department. He actually has more time as chief than I do. Rich is also an Eagle Scout.
• “Anthony Oliveira is the son of Tony and Marie Oliva and is a first generation American of Portuguese descent. Anthony has a brother, Dan, a sergeant, first class with the state police and a sister Diane Pinto. Anthony joined the department in 2017 after graduating from Rowan University with a bachelor’s degree in business management and a minor in criminal justice with cum laude honors. He has worked in the patrol division and directed patrol units. He is a member of the department’s rifle team and a field-training officer. He is a state delegate to the union and was Policeman of the Year in 2020.
• “Tom Sumkowski began his career in public safety in 1999 as an emergency medical technician while earning his bachelor’s degree at Seton Hall University. Tom served at the South Orange Ambulance Squad and the Bayonne McCabe Ambulance squad attaining the rank of captain. During his EMT career, Tom responded to Seton Hall dorm fire, actually the first first responder on scene. And he also responded on 9/11 to the terrorist attacks in New York with McCabe Ambulance. In 2007, Thomas was hired by the Kearny Police Department working in a patrol division until 2015, where he was then assigned to administrative roles overseeing the department’s computer network, 9-1-1 system and radio communications. Tom also maintains that town’s surveillance camera systems, as well as the phone system. Tom became a detective and 2017, actively supporting investigations through the adoption of modern tools to enhance today’s investigations. Tom is married to his wife, Marybeth, and they are the proud parents of their son, 8-year-old Alexander.”
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.