DRUG BATTLER RETIRES, BUT HE'LL STAY IN FRAY

To those who worked with First Assistant Ocean County Prosecutor
Terrence P. Farley, his legacy could be, well, his office.

At first glance, he appears disorganized, his desk piled with
computer printouts, newspaper and magazine clippings, videotapes,
books, posters, signs, awards, statues, trophies, toys and plaques.

But ask him a question about drug use anywhere in the world, and
after rummaging and mumbling for a minute or so he will unearth from
the clutter some statistics and a news article to answer the query.

When most people retire they clean their desks and fill up the trash
can and maybe a box or two. Not Farley, who retires today. He rolled
a giant "robo can" into his office and after several days found the
top of his desk. The wood under the glass on his desk had not seen
the light of day since he returned to the job in Toms River in 1997
after stints working in the federal and state governments.

Farley, 64, had been named "Man of the Year" and honored by so many
organizations and law enforcement agencies, he needed several boxes
just for the plaques. He could wood-panel an entire room with them.

"I don't think there is anyone in the Prosecutor's Office who has the
knowledge on the war on drugs that Terry has," said Thomas F.
Kelaher, Ocean County Prosecutor. Kelaher has known Farley for four decades.

Last week Farley received an award from the Brick Township Mutual
Alliance Committee on Alcoholism, Drug Abuse and Youth Services.

Right Man For Job

Assemblyman James W. Holzapfel, who as a former prosecutor had
brought Farley into the office in 1987, takes pride in having named
Farley the head of the county Narcotics Strike Force.

"He was a hard-working guy," Holzapfel said. Farley really enjoyed
teaching and talking with parents and students.

"He was a zealot in the best sense of the word," Holzapfel said. "He
really believed he had a message to share and if you could find three
people to listen to him, he would talk."

Before his law enforcement days, Farley worked with attorney Harvey
York in Toms River and became a partner in Novins, Novins, Farley and York.

"It was never about the money for Terry," York said. "He could have
stayed here and made a lot more money."

When Farley's former law partner was asked to describe Farley's past,
York said most of the really good stuff about Farley "couldn't be
printed in a newspaper."

Jokes aside, York said, Farley's legacy is that "he believed in what
he was doing and gave it everything he had."

In the 1970s, Farley would let his hair down from his attorney work
and spin records at night clubs in Seaside Heights. Farley also
fancied himself a singer, York said. "It was a good thing they gave
him the job in the Prosecutor's Office," York said. "He was a
terrible disc jockey and he can't sing worth a lick. He thinks he
can. But he can't."

"But he was a great defense attorney," York said. "He went in day
after day after day and won case after case after case."

Holzapfel's offer to make Farley his top assistant gave Farley an
opportunity to do what he loved to do: Be with cops, York said.

Battling Drug Dealers

Farley's focus from the beginning was building the Narcotics Strike
Force with a staff, most of whom were on loan from municipal, county,
state and federal law enforcement agencies. They paid for much of
their work from seizing properties from drug dealers, Farley said.

In 1992, Farley was lured to a federal post in Alexandria, Va. In
1994, he became director of the state Division of Criminal Justice,
in Trenton. But he pined to work for Ocean County again and when the
opportunity came up in 1997, Farley returned under Prosecutor E.
David Millard, again as first assistant prosecutor.

Holzapfel said Farley made the right choice. Public service work is
more important than money, Holzapfel said.

"What are they going to say about you after you are gone?" Holzapfel
said. "Are they going to say you made a difference in the world or
that you were a very successful lawyer and had a lucrative practice?"

"In his heart he always wanted to be involved with law enforcement,"
Holzapfel said.

If you ask Farley if he has a picture of his family, he will pull out
a photo album, Holzapfel said.

Capt. Jeff Bissey, commander of the Narcotics Strike Force, said the
illegal drug world is not done hearing from Farley.

"Terry is not gone from the narcotics field," Bissey said. "He is
going to go on as an advocate. . . . We have not heard the last of him."

Farley said he does intend to do some teaching and lecturing in his
field of expertise.

The desk of Roz Senkbeil, clerical supervisor, is right outside
Farley's office. The giant trash can made several trips past her as
she lamented losing a man who had made coming to work fun.

"We are going to miss him," Senkbeil said. "Really, really miss him."