Asbury Police Officer Eugene Dello takes pride in his job and his hometown

By:  | October 29, 2025 |  | 

Photo by Andrea Phox

by Emma Sylvia

“He’s an Asbury Park police officer.” When discussing subjects for Community Magazine profiles, this descriptor my boss used doesn’t exactly narrow down the list enough for me to guess who he might be referring to, though I am familiar with the Asbury Park police force through the occupation of my brother.

“He’s an Ocean Township resident, too,” my boss says.

 With this, I’m able to narrow it down just a bit more, and then when the name is finally said – “Eugene Dello” – I instantly say, “I’ll cover this one.”

The reason why is simple: Eugene Dello, a resident of Ocean Township for at least 25 years and a member of the Asbury Park police force for almost 43 years, is a good family friend. Also crucially, he’s just the person to talk to involving all things Ocean and Asbury, and he’s happy to discuss his long-spanning career with me.

A Family Line

Dello’s origins on the force date back to his father, a former police officer in Asbury Park, whom he describes as a knight in shining armor, his uniform inspiring awe in a young Dello. Dello’s uncle was the chief of police, and his great uncle was a judge in town (whom Dello is named after).

“They’ve been around since almost the beginning of Asbury Park,” Dello recalls. “And, you know, I just continued that legacy.”

Of course, Dello didn’t begin his career with his status today as the Local 6 State Delegate for the Asbury Park PBA, being named the NJ State PBA’s (Policeman’s Benevolence Association) first vice president, and chair of the NJSPCA Cop Shot and Specials/Police Directors/Regionalization & Consolidation committees. Originally, he worked himself up from court officer to dispatcher to patrolman detective.

Starting in Asbury Park in the early 1980s, Dello says that he has seen the absolute turnaround of the city, especially in the last couple of years.

“I couldn’t be happier with the direction Asbury Park is heading. We used to go to gunshot calls years ago, where it was a natural thing. Now, it’s been eliminated to practically none – now we get calls about someone throwing their garbage out too early.”

His love for the town and the people in it, is obvious. At the end of the day, his work in Asbury Park is, as he describes it, a labor of love.

A Mini Renaissance
 

Like many Asbury Park residents – and tourists – Dello’s favorite part of the town is the beachfront, calling that and the downtown area the “lungs” of Asbury. The restaurants, coupled with the great opportunities to work, deems it a “mini–New York City,” in Dello’s eyes.

“It’s a melting pot of people,” Dello says, acknowledging its welcoming nature to those of different classes, races and sexualities. “Everything is in Asbury Park.”

Meanwhile, his love for Ocean Township reigns strong as well. Being a resident of the town for more than two decades, his home is decorated with homages to Monmouth County history, as well as memorabilia and decorations suggesting Dello may just be the biggest fan of Frank Sinatra in the state.

He attributes the success of Ocean and Asbury Park to their town governments, especially mayors Napolitani and Moore, respectively. “They know what they’re doing. They keep the residents happy. I never want to leave.”

Above and Beyond
 

When looking to the future, Dello first thinks of the past and how quickly time has flown. He can’t believe he’s standing where he is today, thanks to his mentors, who enabled him to excel in his career as an officer and to ultimately be there as a current mentor for the incoming officers working today.

With the PBA, Dello is eager to give back to the community. “We, work hand-in-hand with the Asbury Park Homeowners Association and Mercy Center to do a food drive for the less fortunate for Thanksgiving. We’re also looking forward to the PBA Toy Drive for Christmas. These kids wouldn’t be getting Christmas gifts without the Asbury Park PBA Local 6 and members of the PBA. I look forward to doing that,” he says.

As a veteran of the force, he makes sure to remind young officers that this job is about working for the people, while still acknowledging that it just might be the most gratifying job out there. And unlike many, retirement is simply not on his radar, as Dello jokes that he plans on being with the Asbury Police Department until he’s “thrown out.”

And that goes for his life as a resident of Monmouth County as well.

“There’s no better place to be. This area … it’s just phenomenal,” he says. “I couldn’t live anywhere else. It’s not even a thought in my mind. I’m very happy with everything going on with the city of Asbury Park – of Monmouth County, in general. All of our towns aren’t perfect, but we have a lot of good people trying to fix them.”