The Jackson Township Police Department has announced the addition of three new officers to its ranks following their graduation Tuesday from the Ocean County Police Academy’s 123rd Class.

Officer Matthew Herrick, a lifelong Jackson resident, attended Elms Elementary School and Goetz Middle School before graduating from Albany Academy in Albany, New York in 2020, where he served as captain of the varsity ice hockey team. After high school, Herrick played two years of junior ice hockey in Massachusetts and Maine before returning to New Jersey to play for the NJ 87’s, where he served as team captain and helped lead the team to the 2021–2022 league championship.

Herrick later attended Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire, where he majored in social work and played NCAA Division II ice hockey, helping his team capture a Northeast-10 Ice Hockey Championship. He later transferred to the University of Delaware, where he is currently completing a degree in History and Wildlife Ecology with a minor in Insect Ecology.

Herrick has also served as a Manasquan beach lifeguard for more than five years and has been credited with numerous water rescues and preventative safety actions. His community service includes helping launch a high school club that grew fruits and vegetables for donation to homeless shelters and food banks, volunteering at VA hospitals and children’s hospitals, and working with the Best Day Foundation to help children with special needs enjoy beach activities such as surfing and swimming. During his time at Saint Anselm, he also worked with underfunded schools in Manchester, New Hampshire assisting with before- and after-school care.

Officer Joshua Bollard is also a Jackson native and graduated from Jackson Liberty High School in 2018. While in high school, he was a four-year varsity wrestler, serving as team captain for two years, and also competed as a varsity golfer.

Bollard later attended East Carolina University, graduating in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in Sport Studies and a minor in Communications. After completing his degree, he returned to Jackson Liberty High School as a substitute teacher and assistant wrestling coach, mentoring student-athletes and giving back to the school community. Bollard plans to remain involved with the recently combined wrestling program while beginning his law enforcement career. He is following in the footsteps of his father, Jackson Police Officer Michael Bollard.

Officer Lance Hobbs, another Jackson native, graduated from Jackson Memorial High School in 2020, where he competed as a varsity wrestler. After high school, Hobbs enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, serving four years on active duty as an infantry rifleman specializing in weapon systems and close-quarter combat.

During his military service, Hobbs participated in Operation Allies Welcome, a humanitarian mission led by the Department of Homeland Security to assist with the resettlement of Afghan refugees following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. He also deployed to Okinawa, Japan and the border of South Korea, where he helped train more than 250 South Korean Marines in infantry tactics and techniques. Hobbs received several military honors during his service, including the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for outstanding leadership and meritorious service.

Jackson Police officials congratulated the three graduates and welcomed them as they begin their careers serving the residents of Jackson Township.