Jackson Township police department facing possible 30% reduction in force
By Staff Report
Former long time Paterson Mayor and newly hired Jackson Township Business administrator Jose “Joey” Torres gave Jackson Township Chief of Police Matt Kunz and PBA 168 union representative Campbell Brown notice that the department may have to layoff 30% of its staff, 23 officers if Jackson if the budget referendum vote on April 27th is defeated. “We would lose 23 junior officers, 1 clerk and layoffs in other departments in the township.” Kunz said “A loss of 23 would devastate our ability to provide the services we currently provide.”
Kunz said that his department’s traffic safety directive would have to be virtually dissolved and it would hinder the police department’s ability to act as first responders. “The detective department would be almost dissolved and we would have to place limits on minor service calls.” the chief said. Over the past month, Jackson police have been involved in dozens of drug arrests, a raid on an apartment used for dealing drugs, a homicide, one fatal accident and countless other first responder and service calls on a daily basis throughout the township. When asked if March was a typical month for the Jackson Police Department, Kunz responded “It has become the norm, yes. Jackson’s not the sleepy town it once was.” For the past month, Jackson NJ Online has been documenting the more serious incidents in our new police blotter section.
In the past two years, the Jackson force has been reduced from 90 to 79 through attrition, including the elimination of officers at the town’s two high schools. According to the 2010 census, Jackson now has 56,000 residents and cuts would leave just 56 officers supporting round the clock shifts. Jackson Township officers patrol 100.4 square miles. Jackson is the third largest municipality in New Jersey based on size. The cuts would leave Jackson with 1 police officer per 1,000 residents, including management and administrative personnel. “There would be cuts beyond the police department.” Kunz said “This is not just for us, it would affect DPW and other township services. I hope that the community can come together to support all of our township employees to make sure we can continue to provide the level of services we do now.”
On Facebook, police officers, family members and residents are expressing their opposition to layoffs with a Facebook group called “Stop the Jackson Police Layoffs” with nearly 500 supporters in just a matter of a few days. The township will present the budget at their April 5th regular business meeting and
Posted by Staff Report
on Mar 28 2011. Filed under Community News, Featured News, Jackson Fire & Safety, Jackson Police Blotter, Jackson Politics, photos.
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