Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice
Phone: ext. 2386
Email: George.Petersen@centenaryuniversity.edu

Academic Accomplishments

• M.A.S, Fairleigh Dickinson University
• C.P.M., N.J. Department of Personnel/Fairleigh Dickinson University
• B.A., Fairleigh Dickinson University
• A.A., County College of Morris

Biography

Professor Petersen retired in December 2010 as a lieutenant with the Chatham Township Police Department in Morris County after 27 years. When he retired, he was in command of the Administrative Division which included the Detective Bureau, Records Bureau, and the Traffic Safety Unit. He began his law enforcement career as a police explorer, later became a police dispatcher, and then moved on as a special police officer. He joined the Chatham Township Police Department in 1985 and spent his first 6 years as a patrol officer before being promoted to detective. He served as a detective for another 6 years before being promoted to sergeant, where he served for 2 years as a patrol sergeant and another 2 years as a detective sergeant. He was then promoted to patrol lieutenant and shortly thereafter became the second in command of the Department as its Administrative Lieutenant. Part of his responsibilities included Internal Affairs and he spent the majority of his career involved in investigations.

Professor Petersen has been teaching college-level courses for over 10 years. He started out teaching in the West Point Command and Leadership Course run by the New Jersey Association of Chiefs of Police. He taught as an adjunct at Sussex and Morris County Colleges and has been teaching full time for Centenary since 2010.

Professor Petersen currently serves as a Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator for the Township of Denville. (He previously served as the Emergency Management Coordinator in both Chatham Township and Denville Township.)