Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that effective today, July 17, 2026, pursuant to his authority as the Chief Law Enforcement Officer of Ocean County, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office has assumed full command and control of the Borough of Pine Beach Police Department.
“Pine Beach has been without a Chief of Police since Chief Keith Brown retired on December 31, 2025. The departure of Chief Brown has left the Pine Beach Police Department without the appropriate level of leadership and supervision necessary to properly serve the residents of Pine Beach. It is imperative that we ensure the continuity of operations of the department to effectively maintain the safety and security of the borough’s residents,” Prosecutor Billhimer stated. “Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of Detectives Casey M. Long is hereby appointed Officer-in-Charge of the Pine Beach Police Department. The department’s day-to-day operations will be supervised by Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Lieutenant John Carroll, as well as other senior members of the Prosecutor’s Office.”
“We support the hard-working Officers of the Pine Beach Police Department and commend Acting Lt. Ryan Morris for his dedicated efforts as Officer-in-Charge since Chief Brown’s retirement. We are committed to working with Acting Lt. Morris and the entire police department to ensure public safety for the rest of the summer season and beyond. In addition to appointing Chief Long as Officer-in-Charge, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the department’s operations while implementing appropriate levels of supervision, management, and accountability. We will work collaboratively with the Borough to develop a workable command structure and update departmental policies and procedures,” Prosecutor Billhimer concluded.