Chief takes active role – in more ways than one

Career police officer
says it keeps him in
touch with residents
BY SETHMANDEL
Staff Writer

JEFF GRANIT staff Helmetta’s Cully Lewis assumes roles such as Planning Board member and first aid volunteer, but most know him as the borough’s police chief.

Cully Lewis is not your average police chief. Instead of the trademark desk job that usually comes with that title, Helmetta’s chief can often be found in his patrol car. Instead of paperwork, his is more often field work.

"Some days I try to do some administrative work and I just can’t get anything done, so that’s when I just close the door and I go out and go on patrol," Lewis said.

"But I definitely like the idea of covering the shift, because it keeps me in touch with everybody," he said.

Because Helmetta is such a small town, with just 1,800 residents, and has a small police force of four full-time and two part-time officers, Lewis — who for many years has been the highest-ranking officer in the squad and officially became chief in 2002 — is forced to take a more active role.

"It’s a necessity, but I would prefer it," he said.

Lewis grew up in Englishtown, Monmouth County, and moved to Helmetta in 1981. His first exposure to law enforcement was as a police explorer in Manalapan Township, and Lewis had always wanted to be a police officer.

"I was interested in law enforcement even as a kid," Lewis said. He added that he did not have any heroes in the profession but became interested in law enforcement "just from watching the cop shows."

Lewis admits that Helmetta is not exactly plagued with the car chases and gunfights that pepper those television shows, but he has had some exciting encounters. Like the time he chased the driver of an all-terrain vehicle, who attempted to escape Lewis’ pursuit by driving into a snowy field.

"I was actually trying to stop him on the road, then he went into a small field, and that’s where I was able to catch up to him."

On foot.

"I guess his tires got bogged down or something," he said.

Then there was the time when a local resident discovered an 18-inch-long World War II torpedo in his attic. Lewis evacuated the block, then called the state police, who confiscated it.

Although the police found that the torpedo was not in danger of exploding, Lewis did not want the weapon anywhere near Helmetta.

"Apparently, if we had wanted to display it they would have let us keep it to display it, but I told the trooper ‘just take it,’ " he said. "Otherwise, it could end up in somebody else’s attic and 15 years down the road we’d be doing this all over again."

Lewis remains modest, though.

"You know, I’ve never had a situation where I’ve delivered a baby or anything like that," he said.

Before entering law enforcement, Lewis worked as a boiler engineer for the Department of Corrections in Monroe Township, "Basically just keeping the high-pressure boilers running."

Lewis also took a job as a bus driver while working part time at the Helmetta police station.

"Drove ’em all," he said. "School buses, local city buses, line buses, and charters."

Lewis mostly drove passengers to Atlantic City, but occasionally took them to New York City and even the Poconos.

All his driving experience would prove quite useful to the members of the Jamesburg First Aid Squad, who in 1996 were in dire need of addi­tional ambulance drivers.

"Years ago, we had the same fre­quency on the police radio with Spotswood, Jamesburg, Monroe, South River, and you would hear them putting in a second alarm be­cause they couldn’t get people and they needed a driver," Lewis re­called.

"So that’s when I was thinking to myself, I had already driven a bus for 10 years, and driven a police car for almost 10 years at that point," he continued. "So, I figured I should be able to do it. So, that’s what I did."

Lewis now volunteers to drive an ambulance once a week, on call from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. for the James­burg First Aid Squad. He also serves as squad president.

Lewis considers his volunteer work an "extension from what I do every day. Except that’s just strictly medi­cal."

Lewis said Helmetta and its neighbors are eager to come to each other’s aid when needed.

"Spotswood does our communica­tions, so most of the time they give us the backup," he said. "But if those guys are busy, we’ll call Jamesburg, and those guys are dynamite. They come right over and help us out."

According to Lewis, such working relationships are essential in towns with small police forces.

"You don’t have as many officers, you don’t have the manpower, you don’t have the resources, you don’t have the money," Lewis said. "You do what you have to do with what you have to do it with."

Lewis has also been appointed to the Helmetta Planning Board, as though he didn’t wear enough hats already.

"Well, in a small town you have to," he said. "Very few people who work for the town only have one hat. Most of them have multiple hats."

Although Lewis interacts with the local residents in various capacities, he does not find it difficult to main­tain his authority as chief of police.

"I like to think that when I’m dealing with people who live in town, I give them a fair shake," Lewis said. "But they know I have to do my job."

Lewis is divorced with three sons, one of whom is a sergeant in the U.S. Army. He was stationed as a medic in Iraq from April through August of last year, and is now at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas.

Lewis gets the opportunity to visit with most of his family once a year, at the annual family reunion in Mountaintop, Pa. This year marks the reunion’s 44th year.

"We usually have about 150 peo­ple at the reunion," Lewis said. "It’s a very large family."

Aside from brief vacations at his sister’s house in Florida, Lewis prefers to spend most of his time right at home in Helmetta.

"I feel fortunate to be here," Lewis said. "It’s a nice, quiet town. Can’t beat it."