Page 8 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • June 8, 2011 Midland Park Midland Park’s newest police lieutenant, Michael Marra, has earned a master’s degree since he was promoted to sergeant in 2004. (The Villadom Times printed incomplete background information on Marra in last week’s edition.) The borough council promoted Marra to lieutenant, and Detective John Gibbons to sergeant on May 26, effective July 1. “I’m very pleased. Both men are well deserving. I look forward to the department moving forward when I retire,” said Police Chief John Casson, who has been working with the mayor and council to prepare the department for his mandatory retirement Promotions will give council options when chief retires at age 65 next July. “History repeats itself,” Casson added, noting that he himself had been promoted to lieutenant when Chief Tom Monarque was planning retirement. “The council wants to have someone with more administrative experience in place so it has more choices when I retire, he said. Marra said that he decided to go back to college in 2004 to advance his career within the department, which he joined in 1986. He received a bachelor of arts from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2007 and a master in administrative science the following year. He has an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Passaic County Sergeant Michael Marra and Detective John Gibbons Community College. “I’m looking forward to my new post and whatever future assignments I am delegated by the chief,” Marra said last week. Casson said Marra’s duties in his new position had yet to be solidified. Currently Marra handles all scheduling and serves as the domestic violence liaison and instructor and the municipal counter-terrorism coordinator. He is also the department’s discovery and evidence officer, a radar instructor and the DYFS liaison, in addition to being a shift supervisor as a sergeant. Gibbons will continue as head of the detective bureau, Casson said, noting that most detective bureaus have ranking officers. “He’s doing a terrific job. The men rely heavily on him,” the chief said. Gibbons handles all criminal investigations and serves as the evidence officer and is a member of the Homeland Security Rapid Deployment Team. “I appreciate the support and confidence from the mayor and council,’ he said. Gibbons joined the department in 2001 and was named detective in 2007. A lifelong Midland Park resident, he graduated from Midland Park High School and the Bergen County Police and Fire Academy and served as chief of the Midland Park Volunteer Fire Department in 2000-01.