Administration

Biography

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. 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, with the department being 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.

Since 2015, Chief Ryan has worked to make Woodbury City PD an example of a progressive and compassionate police agency. Implementing such programs as: Chaplain Program, Straight to Treatment Program, Re-Entry Program, LGBTQ Liaisons, Citywide Crime Camera Systems, Autism/Disabilities Registry amongst several others. While Chief, he has become NJSACOP ACE-Advanced certified and attended both the FBI’s LEEDS (Princeton) training and it’s first every National Command Course (2021) in Quantico. Chief Ryan serves on the Executive Board of the Gloucester County Chiefs Association (past president – 2021) and sits on the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police’s Accreditation Commission (NJSACOP). In 2022 Chief achieved a Professional Certificate in Evidence Based Policing from Cambridge University. Chief Ryan has been as Adjunct Instructor at Rowan College of New Jersey and Rowan University since 2019. He currently sits on Rowan University’s CCHS Employer Advisory Board, Gloucester County Mental Health Board & Gloucester County Police Academy Advisory Board. 

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. He is also a parishioner of St. Clare’s Parish and coaches youth sports. Chief Ryan presently resides in Gloucester County with his very supportive wife, son and daughter. 

Biography

Kelli grew up in West Deptford Township,, attended West Deptford High School and graduated in 2001. She began working at Woodbury Police Department as a Police Cadet in 2002. She completed her Associate's Degree at Gloucester County College. She attended the Cape May County Police Academy in 2003 and became a Special 2 officer, working the summer season in Sea Isle City, NJ. Kelli was then hired back in Woodbury City as a Special 2 Officer and was hired full-time in 2005. She worked in the Community Policing unit before being brought into the Detective Bureau in 2009. As a Detective, Kelli handled many complex investigations, including several narcotics operations, bank robberies, and 3 successful homicide investigations, while also being tasked with being in charge of all Megan’s Law Offenders. Her diligence led her to be later sworn in as Detective Sergeant. She has since been responsible for overseeing the Investigative Unit for the past 2 years while also overseeing the School Resource Officer Program, Community Policing Unit, and Cadet Program. While working full-time in the Detective Bureau, she went back to school to earn both her Bachelor’s and then Master’s degree from the Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2012.

Biography

Lieutenant Boucher is a graduate of West Deptford High School. After High School, he matriculated to Fairleigh Dickinson University, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and Master’s Degree in Public Administration.

Lieutenant Boucher started his career in law enforcement with the Sea Isle City Police Department in the summer of 2008 as a Special Law Enforcement Officer. He was then hired by the Woodbury City Police Department in October of 2008 as a Special Law Enforcement Officer- Class 2. In 2009, he was promoted to the rank of patrolman, where he served in the patrol division until 2014, when he was assigned as the department’s School Resource Officer. Lieutenant Boucher was also appointed as the department’s accreditation manager in 2014, a position that he still currently holds. As accreditation manager, he successfully completed 3 re-accreditation cycles and was recently selected to be a New Jersey State Associations of Chiefs of Police Accreditation-Assessor.

In 2015, he was promoted to the rank of detective. Finally, in August 2017, Lieutenant Boucher was promoted to the rank of Administrative Sergeant. Upon the retirement of Lt. William Palese in September 2020, Sgt. Boucher assumed the duties of Patrol Lieutenant in addition to his responsibilities as administrative sergeant. In addition to his role at the police department, Lieutenant Boucher is also the Deputy OEM Coordinator for the City of Woodbury.