Three months after a new police chief took over, Plainsboro has a new fire chief as well. Doug Vorp stepped down on December 31 after completing three years at the helm. The township’s new chief, who was recognized at the committee meeting on January 11, is James Pedley.
Pedley moved to Plainsboro in 1997 after taking a job in Iselin. A year later he joined the Plainsboro Fire Company, working his way up to lieutenant in 2001 and assistant chief in 2009.
Pedley benefited from working with Vorp, and he complimented his predecessor in an official statement. “Doug served Plainsboro with distinction, and his professionalism and commitment to the community will be the standard for future chiefs for years to come,” Pedley said.
By day Pedley works as post-sales consultant for Seattle-based F5 Networks. He earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Polytechnic University and became a computer engineer in the mid 1990s. Pedley worked for Online Resources, Inc. from 1999 to 2011.
Pedley’s wife, Kathryn, is a psychometrician and a certified EMT and firefighter as well. The family has three daughters and lives on Perrine Road.
Pedley also volunteered with the Plainsboro Rescue Squad from 2004 until last summer. Over the years he served as the squad’s second lieutenant, scheduling officer, and radio officer.
The Plainsboro Fire Company is currently accepting applications for volunteers. According to veteran Lieutenant Tom Healey interest has picked up lately as community members attended exploratory meetings over the last few weeks, but there can never be too many firefighters.
“We’re always seeking volunteers. I know that volunteer fire companies can seem like private and exclusive clubs, even to people who have a lifelong interest in volunteering. That’s not the case here, however,” Healey said.
Plainsboro Fire Company answered 602 calls in 2011, including a record 107 calls in August as approximately 30 were direct results of Hurricane Irene.
New Police Officer. As Plainsboro prepares for the opening of the new hospital — the $447 million University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro — the police department will add slightly more shifts and personnel. One new hire was introduced this week, and Police Chief Guy Armour said another police officer will be added to the force after the hospital opens.
The successful candidate from a pool of 200 applicants was Kevin Schroeck, who was sworn in at the committee meeting on January 11. His mother, father, and two sisters attended the ceremony as did Armour and four other members of the Plainsboro Police.
Schroeck (pronounced Shrek) is a 2009 graduate of the College of New Jersey. He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminology followed by police academy training in early 2010 at Mercer County Community College. Schroeck then completed internships with the Lawrenceville Police Department and New Jersey State Police.
Over the past two years Schroeck has worked as a substitute teacher in Montgomery, covering all classes from kindergarten to 12th grade. He comes from a family full of educators, including one in the WW-P school district. His twin sister Katlyn is a third grade teacher at Wycoff Elementary School in Plainsboro.
Schroeck’s older sister, Kimberly, is a fifth grade teacher in Montgomery. His mother Dawn works as a teacher’s aide at Montgomery High School. Schroeck’s father Ray has spent his career at Anheuser-Busch’s brewery in Newark, serving as a supervisor and manager of beer packaging and shipping technical services.
