James M. Mets, Esq.

Advisory Board Legal Adviser

James M. Mets, is a founding partner of Mets, Schiro & McGovern, LLP. He concentrates his practice in representing both public and private sector unions in all aspects of labor-management relations, with a particular emphasis on public sector collective negotiations.

Mr. Mets has served for many years as an instructor in many different venues, including the State PBA Collective Bargaining Seminar, the NJ Institute for Continuing Legal Education, the American Arbitration Association, and the Rutgers Union Leadership Academy. He has been a guest speaker at the National Labor Relations Board Annual Conference, the N.J. League of Municipalities Annual Conference, and the Association of Labor Relations Agencies Annual Conference.

Mr. Mets graduated magna cum laude from Montclair State College and received his J.D. from Rutgers School of Law in Newark, New Jersey, where he was awarded the Reitman Labor Law Scholarship. He is admitted to practice law in the courts of the States of New Jersey and New York and in the Federal Courts (United States Supreme Court, United States Third Circuit Court of Appeals, United States District Court for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and United States District for the District of New Jersey).

Mr. Mets has received the following honors in the field of Labor and Employment Law: New Jersey Super Lawyer by New Jersey Monthly Magazine from 2005 through 2013; The Best Lawyers in America from 2006 through 2014; New York Area’s Top Lawyers by New York Magazine from 2006 through 2013; top Lawyer by Inside New Jersey in 2011; and a top lawyer by The American Lawyer in 2011. His Firm has been ranked as a 1st tier Law Firm in the area of Labor and Employment Law by U.S. News & World Report, Best Law Firms Edition (2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013).

Miguel Martinez

OPS Board – Outreach Adviser

In April of 2000, Miguel began his career in law enforcement with the Delaware Department of Corrections, as a Correctional Officer. During his time with the DDOC, he joined the Correctional Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T), which at the time was responsible for responding to all major incidents for all the institutions within the State of Delaware. 

Miguel continued his career with the Federal Bureau of Prisons in September of 2001 through September of 2007 as a Federal Corrections Officer. During his time with the FBP, he joined the Disturbance Control Team (DCT) and was promoted to team leader. 

In September of 2007, Miguel enlisted with the Bridgeton Police Department. During his career with BPD he was assigned to the Patrol Division and the Neighborhood Response Team (NRT). Miguel was promoted to Detective in 2009, where he remained until accepting a position, in 2017, as a New Jersey County Detective within the County Prosecutor’s Office. 

Miguel is currently assigned as a Detective in the Major Crimes Unit, where his primary duty is the investigation of homicides and suspicious deaths. Miguel is also an active member of his agencies Uniformed Community Policing Unit.

During his career, Miguel has always believed in a strong community outreach and connection. He has witnessed first hand how positive community efforts can make a huge difference, in a positive way, and how a lack of communication can also make a difference, in a negative way. He strives each day for those positive connections.

Kenneth Pagliughi, esq.

OPS Board Member

Ken Pagliughi is a 1965 graduate of Sacred Heart High School. He received a BA degree in Government- Political Science from Seton Hall University in 1969 and a Juris Doctor degree from Rutgers School of Law in 1972.

After graduating Law School Ken worked as an Assistant Deputy Public Defender in the Salem, Cumberland, Cape May regional office until June 1980 when he was appointed by Governor Brenden Byrne as the first full time County Prosecutor for Cumberland County, NJ.

After serving his five year term as the Cumberland County Prosecutor, Ken went into the private practice of law until April of 2003 when he rejoined the Cumberland County Prosecutors Office as First Assistant Prosecutor until his retirement in January of 2010.

Ken currently resides in Millville, NJ with his wife, Renee where he enjoys training for and competing in Ironman Triathlons around the world.

William Gonzalez

OPS Board – Community Adviser

William Gonzalez is a lifelong resident of Vineland, NJ. A 1987 graduate of Vineland High School, William joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve immediately upon graduating high school. He was Honorably discharged in 1989. In 1990 Bill was hired by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department and attended the Atlantic County Police Academy 50th Session. In 1992 Bill left the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department and accepted an Investigator’s position with the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office. Bill was assigned to work many different assignments to include Domestic Violence, Juvenile Crimes, Career Criminals, Insurance Fraud, Fugitives, Human Trafficking, Major Crimes and Homicide Investigations. In 2005 Bill was promoted to Senior Investigator. Bill ended his distinguished Law Enforcement career and retired on February 1, 2011.

During his employment with the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, Bill was elected President of the Policemen’s Benevolent Association Local 316 in 1996. He then was elected to PBA State Delegate in 2000. Bill served as President for 15 years and as State Delegate for 11 years. During his tenure as President, Bill was instrumental in negotiating several labor contracts. During his tenure as State Delegate, Bill served as Co Chairman of the Legislative Committee, was a member of the Judiciary Committee and the Prosecutor’s Committee.

In 2010 Bill was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Latin American Economic Development Association Inc. The organization was established through the efforts of the National Puerto Rican Coalition along with local community and business leaders to create economic opportunities for minorities while facilitating the redevelopment of Camden City. LAEDA is a successfully governed and managed minority enterprise. LAEDA’s mission is to promote economic development to include the economically disadvantaged, primarily minorities, in the Delaware Valley, primarily the City of Camden, New Jersey. Bill served LAEDA as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors.

In 2012 Bill served as Chief of the Cumberland County Emergency Communications 9-1-1 Center.

Bill currently serves as the Executive Director of the Cumberland County Habitat for Humanity. In addition, Bill also serves on the board of directors of the Hispanic Leadership Association of New Jersey, Inc.

Andrew Chopek

OPS Board – Finance Adviser

Andrew is a 1989 graduate of Villanova University (GO CATS) with a BA in computer science. Upon graduation, Andrew and his father opened GB Consulting, a computer consulting business that specialized in computer networking and security in businesses and educational institutions. 

In 1999 Andrew took a position as President/CEO of FilteredNet, Inc., a technology company that specializes in working with K12 schools and their IT departments. FilteredNet, Inc. supplies educational institutions with internet security solutions; more specifically internet content filter solutions, bandwidth management solutions, intrusion prevention solutions, mobile device management solutions, malware prevention and detection solutions, and more. FilteredNet, Inc. is one of the nations leaders in school security software implementation. With this, Andrew has extensive experience with implementing and managing progressive solutions in the governmental environment. 

Andrew married his wife, Patty, in 1996, and enjoys raising their two amazing children. Andrews’s favorite pastime is vacationing with family, and their favorite family vacation spot is Walt Disney World. Andrew is an avid Philadelphia sports fan and finally got his wish when the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl. 

Edwin “Ed” Bowen

OPS Board Member

Edwin (Ed) Bowen started his Law Enforcement career in 2002 as a Correctional Officer until 2004 when Ed enlisted as a Municipal Police Officer with the City Of Millville, NJ Police Department. During Ed’s time as a Millville Police Officer, he served in the Patrol and Detective Divisions.

After several years of distinguished service with the Millville Police Department, Ed transferred to the County’s Prosecutor’s Office in 2009 and was sworn in as a NJ County Detective. During this career with the Prosecutor’s Office, Ed has served in the Trial Support Bureau and Major Crimes Unit. He is currently serving his 16th year in law enforcement. 

One of Ed’s passions is his service to his community as a member of his agency’s uniformed Community Policing Unit (CPU). Ed believes that through communication and cooperation with the public, our communities become a safer place for everyone. 

Prior to Ed’s law enforcement career he was employed with B.W. Stetson and Co., located in Bridgeton, New Jersey. B.W. Stetson is a well known vending company, but also provides an office Coffee and Bottled Water service.  Ed started as a route driver and was soon promoted to route manager, and ended his career with B.W. Stetson as the company’s outside salesman for their Coffee and Bottled water division. Ed’s time with Stetson, selling and managing hundreds of client accounts, helped him develop his “people skills” and is where he learned that a positive connection with people breaks down barriers.   

Ed has been married to his wonderful wife Sherrie for 27 years and has two beautiful daughters,  Ashley and Megan. In their spare time, Ed and his family enjoy spending time together, traveling, camping and fishing. 

Jeff Workman

OPS K12 Adviser

Jeff’s background includes 20+ years in the K12 digital safety space from web content filtering and student safety monitoring to network access control, device resource management, usage analytics and safety policy compliance.

He has worked with FilteredNet for over 13 years and has stepped up in a key role to help move the needle toward our shared vision to truly connect K12 Schools and the community with local Law Enforcement and Incident Responders for ‘real-time’ collaboration and unmatched partnership via the OPS Network solution platform. 

We appreciate his commitment and guidance, and look forward to the continuing growth and success of our team’s mission. As he would say, teamwork makes the dream work. Let’s go!