Rider alumnus named Riverside Officer of the Year

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Kevinn Tosta ’23 has been recognized as the 2025 Officer of the Year by the Riverside Township Police Department, an uncommon honor for a young officer early in his career. Tosta was also previously recognized with Burlington County’s Prosecutor's Recognition of Citizens or Public Servants (PROCOPS) Award for his assistance with resuscitating an unresponsive infant in 2024.

Upon first meeting Tosta, it is easy to see why. Polite and sincere, Tosta has a genuine desire to help people. Lieutenant Ron Brock ’96, who worked with Tosta through the department’s internship program, explains that Tosta’s consistent work ethic and willingness to go the extra mile are attributes that made the young officer stand out.

Patrolman Tosta “only shows up with a smile” and never complains, according to Brock. He adds that Tosta “has the ability to go into the community and enforce the law … while commanding respect.” Brock has even witnessed cases where arrested citizens shook Tosta’s hand as they were released. “He has become a valued member of the department and the community.” 

Despite the occasional 12-hour days, Tosta enjoys the hands-on nature of his work. Modeling positivity, while acting as a bridge between the police department and the Riverside community, is important to him. This includes occasionally serving as a translator for the Prosecutor’s office, a service Tosta also performed as an intern. In high school, his bilingual ability often helped teachers and administrators communicate with students whose English skills were weak. Growing up in the small town of Riverside, Tosta’s Brazilian-American parents always spoke Portuguese at home and encouraged him to be proud of his cultural background. 

As a first-generation college student, Tosta’s sensitivity to cultural differences was shaped by his own background and the sociology classes he took at Rider. Tosta says his understanding of victimization, a topic discussed in his sociology courses, informs how he now views and handles cases. He believes the ideas he studied prepared him for the real-world situations he encounters as a police officer.
“There are cases that are just hard to deal with,” Tosta says as he recalls an especially difficult case involving a juvenile who reported a sexual assault years later.

Tosta admits Rider was a challenge. “My grades should have been a lot better,” he says. Unfortunately, the limitations of online instruction during Covid-19, coupled with time devoted to supporting his family during his father’s ongoing illness impacted his academic performance. He himself struggled with a series of health issues which were finally diagnosed during his junior year. He was hospitalized for a month. 

Tosta recalls that his father’s proudest moment was seeing him graduate from Rider. It is a bittersweet memory; his father passed away in June, shortly after his graduation.

Tosta is grateful for the support he received during the challenges of his undergraduate years. He credits Sociology Department Chair Victor Thompson and Professors James Wojtowicz and Sarah Troccio with both his academic and personal success at Rider. During difficult times, Tosta says the professors and administration “had my back and understood the situation I was going through.”

When he has more experience, Tosta hopes to become a detective. Until then, he continues to look for opportunities to serve his hometown community.