Administration

Chief Thomas R. Ryan is a lifelong resident of Gloucester County (born in Woodbury, NJ). Chief Ryan was raised in Logan Township, graduated from Kingsway Regional High School. He then matriculated to LaSalle University in Philadelphia, PA. He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice with dual minors in Political Science and Sociology. While at LaSalle University, Chief Ryan was a 4 year member of the University’s Football Team and recognized as a NCAA Division I-AA Scholar Athlete. After graduation, he attended the Cape May County Policy Academy and worked the summer of 2002 for the Ocean City Police Department as a Class I SLEO. In December of 2002, Chief Ryan was hired by the Woodbury City Police Department as a full-time Patrol Officer. He attended the Camden County Police Academy, and graduated June 27, 2003. He then worked in the Patrol Division until 2005, when he was assigned to the Community Policing Unit. While in charge of the Community Policing Unit, Chief Ryan organized and planned several community events including National Night Out. In June of 2009, he was promoted to the Detective Bureau as an Investigator, to later be promoted to Detective in August of 2011. While in the Detective Bureau, Chief Ryan was also given the responsibility of being the Department’s Accreditation Manager. He successfully guided the Department, with the assistance of others, to have the Department become Re-Accredited on May 24, 2012. While in the Community Policing Unit and later in the Detective Bureau, Chief Ryan was able to go back to school and eventually earned his Master’s Degree in 2011 from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA in Criminal Justice, with a concentration in Police Administration. In December of 2012, Chief Ryan was trained in Internal Affairs by the Division of Criminal Justice. In February of 2013, Chief Ryan was promoted to Detective Sergeant and placed in charge of the day-to-day operations of the Department’s Detective Bureau. Chief Ryan then began to take over as lead Internal Affairs Investigator for the Department, as Captain Timothy Sheehan retired during the summer of 2013. In March of 2014, Chief Ryan was promoted to the position of Captain of Police through a promotional process that involved all eligible Sergeants. Then after long time Chief – Reed Merinuk, announced his retirement after 17 years as chief (27 with the department), Chief Ryan was sworn in on August 11th, 2015.

Chief Ryan has been distinguished with the following since becoming Chief of Police: Graduate from FBI – Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar (LEEDS) (2016), International Chiefs of Police (IACP) 40 under 40 Award Recipient (2018), New Jersey State Chiefs of Police (NJSACOP) Accredited Chief Executive Advanced Certification(2019), FBI – National Command Course – Class #1 (2021) and presently sits on the NJSACOP’s State Accreditation Commission.

Chief Ryan is in charge of all day to day operations for the Woodbury City Police Department. That being said he is available via phone, email or in person to any citizen with a concern, complaint or question. This relationship and the ability to be as transparent and available to the public as possible, is one that Chief Ryan deeply values. He encourages all of his officers to be invested in the community in which they serve and to have a true passion and understanding for the position each of them hold.

Contact Chief Ryan:
856-845-0065 Ext. 118
tryan@woodburypd.com