South Orange Leaders Swear In Sandro Reyes as New Police Sergeant

“Sandro, I think you definitely saved a life that day,” Mayor Sheena Collum said during a Monday night ceremony.

The South Orange Village Council and the Chief of Police promoted officer Sandro Reyes to the rank of Sergeant on Monday night, The Village Green reported.

The promotion, which included a formal swearing-in ceremony, advances a department that emphasizes community connection and specialized training. During the meeting, Police Chief Stephen Dolinac highlighted Reyes’s background as the son of immigrant blue-collar parents, noting he was raised with “tenacity and a relentless workout ethic.”

Reyes’s path to leadership involved academic preparation and personal investment. He earned an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Union County College in 2014 and a bachelor of science degree from Rutgers University’s School of Criminal Justice in Newark, according to The Village Green.

The promotion follows a specific instance of high-stakes de-escalation early in Reyes’s career. Mayor Collum recalled a situation that occurred when Reyes had been with the department for only two months.

He encountered an emotionally disturbed individual intent on self-harm and managed to diffuse the situation by providing calm, compassionate assurance to the person.

“I remember it so well because you had been with our department only a couple of months,” Collum told The Village Green. “Two months on the job and put in a life-or-death situation with somebody in our community and having the foresight, the wherewithal, the calm, compassion and empathy to be able to save a life. And that’s when I knew we had someone very special in Sandro.”

Chief Dolinac also said that Reyes demonstrated commitment by paying for the police academy himself and attending on his own time. “For someone to do that on their own, it shows their dedication,” Dolinac said.

As he moves into his new role, Reyes intends to focus on the interpersonal aspects of policing. He has previously served as an instructor, teaching other officers in the department defensive martial arts.

South Orange Leaders Swear In Sandro Reyes as New Police Sergeant

For Reyes, the transition to Sergeant is less about authority and more about the influence one has on their peers and the community they protect.

“Leadership, in my eyes, is about lifting those around you,” Reyes said.

He expressed gratitude for the opportunity to continue his service within the village, noting the unique responsibility that comes with protecting a diverse population. “We serve a unique and diverse community, and it has become an honor, unlike any other, to serve residents and members of the village,” Reyes said.

“It is about treating people in a transformational way, rather than a transactional one. It’s about helping others believe in something bigger than themselves and inspiring them to understand not just what we do, but why we do it,” Reyes said.

Reyes concluded his remarks by thanking his colleagues, friends, family, village leaders, and his wife Gisella and 1-year-old daughter.