Ptl. Peter Manco has been recognized by the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety for having made the most D.W.I. arrests in Manchester Township during the year 2011.

On July 30, 2012, Ptl. Manco received the 2011 New Jersey D.W.I. Top Gun award. Each Police Chief in the State of NJ was asked to submit their top D.W.I. officers to the NJ Division of Highway Traffic Safety for the year 2011. This is the second time Ptl. Manco has received this prestigious award. In 2010, Ptl. Manco earned this award for making the most D.W.I. arrests in Manchester Township for that year also.

Ptl. Manco, a Toms River native, joined the Manchester Police Department in 2005. Prior to that, Ptl. Manco was a Seaside Park Police Officer and a professional firefighter at the Navy / Lakehurst Rescue Department. Ptl Manco has completed training as an Emergency Medical Technician and he is specially trained in building collapse rescue, confined space rescue, as well as trench/surface ice rescue. Ptl. Manco served with the United States Marine Corps Infantry from 1992 until 1995.

Ptl. Manco consistently leads the department in criminal arrests as well as D.W.I. arrests. He has been recognized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving in 2009, 2011 and 2012 for his distinguished service in D.W.I. enforcement. Ptl. Manco has also received the Kimberly Ames D.W.I. Awareness award presented by the Ocean County Traffic Safety Officers Association. Kimberly Smith Ames and her unborn child were killed by a drunk driver in Beachwood in 1998.

Additionally, in June of 2011 and June of 2012, Ptl. Manco received a letter of recognition by the Ocean County Traffic Safety Officer’s Association-Jason Marles Award, for his dedicated work in apprehending drunk drivers. Officer Jason Marles was an Ocean Gate Police Officer who was killed by a drunk driver on the Garden State Parkway in 2010 while on his way home from work.

Ptl. Manco is also a certified Drug Recognition Expert. The Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) is a national certification granted by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). The course involves weeks of intense specialized training which enables him to determine when a driver is under the influence of a drug or other controlled dangerous substance other than alcohol.

Ptl. Manco’s work ethic is second to none as he always contributes 100% to everything he does as a Police Officer for the Township of Manchester. His yearly number of arrests are consistently high as he takes tremendous pride in his job. While most residents are sleeping, Ptl. Manco is out there during the evening hours diligently keeping the roadways of Manchester Township safe from drunk drivers.