Union County Appoints Public Safety Director

Andrew Moran, a retired Berkeley Heights Police Captain, has been appointed County Public Safety Director.

As the director, Moran will supervise the County Public Safety Department, which has a total contingent of approximately 130 employees, including 73 County Police. The Department includes the Office of Emergency Management, County Police, Medical Examiner, Weights and Measures and Health divisions. Moran will also be responsible for the supervision of the Bureaus of Domestic Preparedness, Hazardous Materials, the Fire Training Academy and Fire Investigations Task force and the Office of Consumer Affairs.

Among the department's many high-profile services is the maintenance of a regional ballistic lab and the child safety seat program.

Moran, 45, had been working in the department since August and recently finished the report, which among its' items, addressed the creation of a Countywide shared radio services system, a consolidated 911 dispatch center covering the County and/or specific regions, a Countywide EMS system, and police department accreditation.

"Andy Moran brings experience and new energy to the department as our director," County Manager George W. Devanney said in a release. "Having worked on a strategic plan about the department for the past six months, he will be able to hit the ground running in his new position."

Moran takes over the reins from Acting Public Safety Director Daniel Vaniska, who was also continuing his duties as Police Chief.  Vaniska will resume his duties as Police Chief.

Moran, who will continue earning his current salary in his new post at $113,793, began his law-enforcement career in 1984 as a civilian dispatcher. In 1985 was sworn in as a patrolman, became a Detective in 1994 and was promoted to Patrol Sergeant in 1995.

Since 2002, Moran has also served as the Municipal Coordinator for the Berkeley Heights Office of Emergency Management. He coordinated and managed the emergency preparedness program for the Township of Berkeley Heights. In 2002 he was promoted to Detective Captain, and since 2004 he has served as the Operations Captain for the Berkeley Heights Police Department. In his responsibilities in that position, Moran supervised and managed the police department's Patrol and Investigations Divisions.