Toms River Police Chief Guy Maire is taking a medical leave of absence for what Mayor Daniel Rodrick described as “a few weeks,” according to Mayor Dan Rodrick. Capt. Anthony Scali will serve as the officer in charge of the department while Maire is out, Rodrick said, as reported by Patch.

Maire notified several people by email that he would be taking the leave, multiple sources told Patch, and the sources said the chief was seen cleaning out his desk at the police department. Rodrick criticized members of the department for leaking the news to social media and the press, saying that “Chief Maire deserves all the same level of privacy as any other employee.”

Maire is the third police chief to serve since Rodrick became mayor. Mitch Little retired in August 2024, and Peter Sundack retired this past April after going out on leave in the summer of 2025. Maire’s absence means that for the second time in under a year, the township’s top cop is sidelined on medical leave.

Maire, 57, was sworn in as chief last summer, taking the oath shortly after the Township Council adopted an ordinance changing the police department’s hiring guidelines, a move that drew criticism from Ocean County Prosecutor Brad Billhimer. He had been promoted to captain in September 2024 and served as officer in charge of the department after Sundack went out on leave.