Princeton police Captain Christopher Tash, who had been the second-in-command of the Princeton Police Department, has been appointed to become its fourth chief of police.
Tash was named to the top job effective Aug. 1 by the Princeton Council at its July 22 meeting. He succeeds former Police Chief Jon Bucchere, who retired July 31.
Two police sergeants – Christopher Craven and Leonard Thomas – also were promoted to the posts of lieutenant by the Princeton Council. They began their new duties Aug. 1.
Tash joined the former Princeton Borough Police Department in 2000. The former Princeton Borough and Princeton Township police departments consolidated in 2013 to become the Princeton Police Department.
Tash served as a field training officer for new police officers. He was assigned to the safe neighborhoods bureau and then to the detective bureau. He was also the juvenile officer.
He was promoted to sergeant in 2010 and to lieutenant in 2017.
As a lieutenant, Tash oversaw the detective bureau, the safe neighborhoods bureau, the traffic safety bureau and the communications bureau.
Tash was promoted to captain in 2022.
Tash graduated from Stockton University with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. He earned a master’s degree in administrative science from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Craven and Thomas, the new police lieutenants, joined the former Princeton Borough Police Department prior to its consolidation into the Princeton Police Department.
Craven grew up in Brick Township and graduated from Brick Township High School in 2001. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Rowan University in 2006.
Craven is a graduate of the Ocean County Police Academy. He began his career in law enforcement in 2007 as a Class II special law enforcement officer for the Point Pleasant Beach Police Department.
Craven joined the former Princeton Borough Police Department in 2008. He was assigned to the Patrol Bureau and also served as a field training officer. He was assigned to the Detective Bureau in 2017 and returned to the Patrol Bureau in 2018.
Craven, who was promoted to sergeant in 2020, is one of the Princeton Police Department’s domestic violence liaisons.
Craven received the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Distinguished Service Award.
Thomas grew up in Princeton and graduated from Princeton High School in 2001. He earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Drew University in 2005, and a master’s degree in administrative science from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2013.
He completed the Cornell University diversity, equity and inclusion program in 2021.
Thomas graduated from the Cape May Police Academy and joined the former Princeton Borough Police Department in 2006.
He served in the patrol division and the community services unit until 2012. He was assigned to the detective bureau for one years and then reassigned to the safe neighborhoods bureau.
Thomas was promoted to corporal in 2017 and to sergeant in 2019. He was a supervisor in the patrol division for four years, and was made detective sergeant in 2023.
He has served as a field training officer, and is a certified CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) instructor.
Thomas earned the New Jersey Division of Highway Safety’s Top Gun DWI (driving while intoxicated) enforcement award, and has received multiple Distinguished Service Award several times from Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
