Today the first African American woman Chief of Detectives for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office was sworn in.
Quovella M. Spruill, is setting history, after being appointed as the first African American woman to serve as Chief of Detectives in any county prosecutor’s office in New Jersey.
Spurill has worked in government and has been a public employee for almost 30 years. She has served nearly twenty years in the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, rising through the ranks from detective, lieutenant, captain and deputy chief.
She has been assigned to various units including Child Abuse/ Sex Crimes, Homicide and Internal Affairs. She has supervised many other units within the office, on many occasions servicing as Acting Chief in the Chief's short term absence.
She will now manage more than 130 sworn officers and investigatory personnel.
Spruill is a graduate of Saint Vincent Academy, earned a Bachelor's degree in Engineering from NJIT and a Maser's degree in HRTD from a Seton Hall University.
She is also married with two children, ages 10 and 12.
Chief Spruill is replacing former Chief Anthony F. Ambrose.