South Amboy to Swear In First Female Chief of Police in Department History

SOUTH AMBOY, NJ – The South Amboy Police Department is set to make history by swearing inPatricia Kanecke as its first ever female police chief during the Wednesday, April 2, City Council meeting.

Kanecke was born in Jersey City and raised in South Amboy, where she attended local schools. She pursued higher education at Middlesex County College and Stockton University before earning a degree in Computer Programming from The Chubb Institute.

Chief Kanecke began her career in the private sector, working as a senior programmer in the reinsurance division of AIG and later as a programmer for Supermarkets General, focusing on payroll and human resources. She married John "Jack" Kanecke and became a mother to two sons, Shaun and Ryan.

In the early stages of her law enforcement career, Chief Kanecke joined the South Amboy Police Department as one of its first civilian dispatchers. Demonstrating an unwavering commitment to public service, she completed the New Jersey Police Training Commission's Basic Course for Class Two Special Law Enforcement Officers in May 1998. The following year, she earned her certification as a Police Officer. She was hired as a Sheriff Officer with the Middlesex County Sheriff's Department, where she served from January 2000 to September 2001.

In September 2001, Kanecke made history as the first female sworn officer of the South Amboy Police Department and began her career in the Patrol Division. Over the years, she climbed the ranks, earning promotions to sergeant in February 2012, where she supervised a patrol unit, and to administrative sergeant in March 2017. In December 2021, she was promoted to administrative lieutenant, and in August 2024, she stepped into the role of acting captain.

Related: South Amboy Police Promote Four Officers (Jan. 11, 2022)

Kanecke began performing the duties of Chief of Police in November 2024 and officially ascended to the position on March 1, 2025. Her tenure as an officer has been marked by a range of significant responsibilities, including serving as the department's TAC Officer, overseeing all computer, dispatch, and communication matters, and coordinating vital programs such as the Opioid Overdose Recovery Program, Super Storm Sandy recovery, and the department's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to her leadership responsibilities, she managed many critical administrative functions of the police department, including policy development, officer training, scheduling, building maintenance, and overseeing the Records and Communications Divisions. Her leadership and dedication were instrumental in the department's successful achievement of Accreditation three times, approved by both the NJ State Association of Chiefs of Police and the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).

Kanecke's exemplary service has earned her numerous awards, commendations, and citations for outstanding arrests, public service, and police actions. She has been a proud and active member of PBA Local #63 and the New Jersey State PBA, where she served as a Delegate from 2007 to 2012. Her commitment to public service also extended to the South Amboy Board of Education, where she served as an elected official from 1993 to 1998, including multiple terms as Vice-President. Additionally, she has been an active member of the South Amboy Irish-American Association for many years.