NEPTUNE - The township committee looked outside of Neptune for the final member of its newly formed police oversight committee.

Former Newark Police Capt. Barry Colicelli, a Brielle resident, will join the three-person panel, along with Mayor Michael Brantley and Deputy Mayor Nicholas Williams.

Colicelli's appointment fulfills Brantley's stated desire to get a retired law enforcement officer on the committee, to which Police Chief James A. Hunt will now report.

"He is highly qualified, he is experienced in all of the things that we need," Brantley said. "We believe there's still work to be done to improve diversity and fairness (on the force) and that's what we set out to accomplish" with the new panel.

In July, the township said it wanted more oversight of the police department after the force found itself embroiled in controversy with several costly lawsuit payouts, allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation and a domestic-violence killing at the hands of an off-duty Neptune officer in 2015. To see more issues being faced by the police force, watch the video below.

Colicelli was not in attendance at Monday's township committee meeting, but Brantley said he would be meeting with a number of community groups during the next few weeks.

Colicelli, 66, will be formally introduced tonight at the meeting of the township committee. You can see a video of Brantley making a statement on Colicelli's appointment above this story.

"I felt I could help them, based on my background and experiences," Colicelli said, when reached by the Press Tuesday afternoon.

Williams said he will not receive any compensation for his service on the committee. Brantley said seven applications were received from the public to serve on the committee. He said three finalists were interviewed before he and Williams agreed to nominate Colicelli. The township committee unanimously approved his nomination.

The police department was previously overseen by Neptune Chief Financial Officer Michael J. Bascom, who also served as police director.

Hunt initially contested the new police committee and threatened to sue the township over the ordinance creating it, saying it encroached on his statutory rights as chief.

Vito A. Gagliardi Jr., general counsel for the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police, who represents Hunt, said the chief decided not to sue after the township committee adjusted the ordinance to preclude a current subordinate officer on the force from serving as the third member of the committee.

Austin Bogues 732-643-4009; abogues@gannettnj.com