Dudeck named chief of Borough Police

“I am confident that I will do a good job, but at the same time, I am very humbled by this opportunity,” Dudeck told the council.

On June 28, former chief Anthony Federico passed away while on vacation in Maine, leaving the department without a leader. The department’s three lieutenants — Dudeck, Sharon Papp and Nicholas Sutter — were all interviewed for Federico’s job, according to The Times of Trenton.

Then, on Dec. 3, the Borough Council voted unanimously to offer Dudeck the position of chief, Borough Administrator Robert Bruschi told The Princeton Packet last week.

Dudeck has been serving as the acting chief of the department since Federico’s death and has worked for the Borough Police since 1983, serving as a patrolman, patrol sergeant, detective sergeant, operations lieutenant and administrative lieutenant.

“I’ve been a police officer for 27 years. It has always been my passion,” said Dudeck, who listed promoting positive energy within the Borough Police force and additional training as priorities.

Dudeck added that he hopes to improve Borough-University relations, though he didn’t cite any specific concerns.

“I look forward to working with the University and Public Safety to progress our mutual goals,” he said.

Dealing with alcohol infractions is one of the key issues in which the Borough Police interact with members of the University community. Dudeck has been involved with many eating club-related arrests and charges, including a fall 2008 charge against Charter Club for two counts of serving alcohol to a minor and two counts of maintaining a nuisance.

Dudeck had previously told the council on Sept. 22 that the Princeton Borough Police Department would adopt a “proactive approach” to drinking violations at eating clubs this fall. He also informed the council that Borough Police had begun meeting with eating club officials to prevent alcohol-related incidents on Prospect Avenue.

When asked Tuesday evening about his plan to better enforce drinking violations on campus and on Prospect Avenue, Dudeck said educating students was at the top of his list.

“I will do my duty educating them on the role of police in enforcing drinking laws. In the end, it is our duty to keep the students safe and healthy,” he explained.

During his presentation at the meeting, Dudeck also drew attention to the small size of the department.

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“We are down in enforcement just about across the board,” he told the council, adding that, in the past the department, which currently stands at 26, has had as many as 34 officers.

Dudeck has also been the head football coach at the Hun School of Princeton for 22 years, a position that he will not relinquish despite his new appointment. At Tuesday’s council meeting, Councilman Roger Martindell questioned Dudeck’s ability “to do both well.” Dudeck defended his passion for football and explained the sacrifices he has made to balance his life with his passions.

“Some [officers] would want to hunt, some may want to fish, but I use my time off to coach football,” Dudeck said. He assured the council that the police department would be his top priority in the case of a potential conflict between his two passions.

Despite his initial concerns, Martindell ultimately expressed optimism about Dudeck’s appointment, calling it “a choice that will open a new chapter in the Borough’s history.”