Middlesex Township police returning to 24-hour coverage
The Middlesex Township Police Department announced over social media it has returned to 24-hour police coverage of the township after staffing shortages caused by a wave of resignations earlier this year led to coverage gaps.
The police department currently consists of seven officers — six full time and one part time. Earlier in 2025, the number of officers fell to five, as four officers — three full time and one part time — resigned from the department in the span of two months.
Since then, the township has hired a police chief, Justin Bouch. He is the township’s first police chief in 20 years. Another full-time officer, Vincent Casale, was welcomed to the force earlier this month.
“(24-hour coverage) was never abandoned,” said township manager Jeffrey Winkle. “We just didn’t have the abilities to fulfill that need because we were lacking in officers. Now we have a number of new officers along with our experienced officers.”
Officers at the Middlesex Township Police Department work 12-hour shifts. The wave of resignations, according to Winkle, resulted in gaps in the schedule.
“We had some shifts where we wouldn’t have an officer on duty and then it would default to state police if there was a callout or maybe some mutual aid from adjoining departments,” Winkle said. “With 24/7 coverage, we’ll always have an officer on duty, no matter what time of day.”
