Newton bids farewell to Lt. Monaco

Members of the Newton community remembered retired Newton Police Lt. Michael Monaco after his Feb. 14 passing following a long battle with cancer.

Monaco was 55 years old.

“I probably learned more from him than anybody else and it wasn’t just me,” said Newton Police Lt. Jared Zappa. “He touched everyone he worked with and wanted to leave the department in a better place than it was when he arrived. That makes a difference with the development of officers.”

According to a post on the Newton Police Facebook page, Monaco came to Newton as a Class II special law enforcement officer in 1993 after working as a dispatcher in Andover and was hired fulltime as a patrol officer in 1995.

He graduated from the 193rd Basic Class for Police Officers at the New Jersey State Police Academy in Sea Girt, marking the beginning of a distinguished career.

“Throughout his time with our department, Lt. Monaco served with professionalism, integrity and strength,” the department said. “He was a member of the Detective Bureau, rose through the ranks to sergeant and ultimately lieutenant, and retired in 2021 after decades of faithful service. Along the way, he took on numerous specialized assignments, including service with the Sussex County Narcotics Task Force, firearms instructor, field training officer and became our department’s first drug recognition expert.”

Upon being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2021, Monaco retired from the department but continued to serve the town as code enforcement director.

A visitation was held at Smith-McCracken Funeral Home on Feb. 18 followed the next day by a committal service at Newton Cemetery and a celebration of life at Newton VFW. The Newton Township Municipal Building closed early both days to allow staff to attend the services.

“Mike was more than a public servant,” Newton Township Manager Tom Russo said. “He was a steady presence, a protector, a mentor and a man of quiet strength. He served Newton with courage and integrity for decades, and even when faced with unimaginable personal hardship, he continued to show up for this community with dignity and purpose. That kind of perseverance speaks to the core of who he was. Those who worked alongside Mike know that beyond the titles and assignments, he possessed something even more meaningful – kindness.”