WEST ORANGE — West Orange Police Department Deputy Chief Matthew Feula was sworn in as the new chief of the department.
“Chief Matthew Feula embodies the very best of public service,” said Mayor Susan McCartney. “His decades of experience, his commitment to professional excellence, and his deep roots in our community make him the ideal leader for this next era of the West Orange Police Department. We look forward to his steady leadership and his vision for strengthening safety, trust, and community partnership.”
Feula’s career spans four decades of service, leadership, and dedication to the community. He joined the department on April 10, 1985, and has since risen through the ranks with professionalism that has earned him the respect of colleagues, residents, and law enforcement partners across the region. He was promoted to sergeant in 1996, lieutenant in 2003, captain in 2005, and deputy chief in 2014. His appointment as chief reflects both his exceptional record and his longstanding commitment to the safety and well-being of West Orange, the township said in a press release.
A graduate of West Orange Mountain High School, Feula has continued to advance his professional education throughout his career. He is a graduate of the Northwestern University’s Traffic Institute School of Police of Staff and Command, the Fairleigh Dickinson University Certified Public Manager program, the West Point Command and Leadership Program, and the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va.
Feula’s service has been recognized through numerous awards, including one Medal of Merit, two Medals of Excellence, two Lifesaving Awards, two Essex County PBA Conference Awards, along with multiple departmental commendations—and even a memorable baby delivery, a testament to the many ways he has impacted lives throughout West Orange.
Pictured here at the swearing in ceremony are from left, Mayor Susan McCartney, Chief Matthew Feula and retiring Chief James P Abbott.
His leadership extends beyond the township as an active member of the Essex County Chiefs of Police Association, the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police, International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and the National Academy Association.
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