Dr. Brettell is Assistant Professor in the Chemical and Physical Sciences Department at Cedar Crest College.
 
Tom received his BA degree (1973) in Chemistry from Drew University, Madison, NJ; a MS degree (1975) in Chemistry from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA; and a Ph.D. degree (1987) in Analytical Chemistry from Villanova University, Villanova, PA.

Dr. Brettell joined Cedar Crest College in the fall of 2006.  He previously served as Director of the New Jersey State Police Office of Forensic Sciences, where he oversaw the operation of the State’s four regional forensic laboratories, the Equine testing laboratory in the Meadowlands, and the DNA Laboratory in the Forensic Science Technology Complex at Hamilton, NJ.

Dr. Brettell joined the New Jersey State Police Forensic Science Bureau in 1976 as a Forensic Chemist where he worked in the Drug and Toxicology Units of the Central Laboratory (West Trenton, NJ).   In 1980, Dr. Brettell was appointed as the Technical Director of South Regional Laboratory (Hammonton, NJ), and later served as the Technical Director of the Central Laboratory until 1990 when he was assigned to the Chief Forensic Scientist’s office.  Dr. Brettell was promoted to Assistant Chief Forensic Scientist in 1993 and then to Chief Forensic Scientist in August of 1998.  In 1993, he received a commendation from the NJSP Superintendent for his work on a narcotics investigation.

For several years, Tom has taught Forensic Science in the Criminology and Justice Departments at The College of New Jersey and Rider University.  He is the past Chair of the Criminalistics Section of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and the past President of the Chromatography Forum of the Delaware Valley.  Tom was presented the Chromatography Forum of the Delaware Valley Award in 1997 for service to the Forum and accomplishments in the field of separation science and also served on the Advisory Board of the Journal of Analytical Chemistry from 1996 to 1998.

In 2004, Dr. Brettell was appointed to the Governor’s Advisory Council Against Sexual Violence and and served until 2006. He presently serves on the National Safety Council’s Committee on Alcohol and Other Drugs.  Dr. Brettell is a certified Diplomat of the American Board of Criminalistics and a Fellow in the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.