Lower Police Won’t Replace Two Sergeants

ERMA — While Lower Township Police Chief Edward P. Donohue and Capt. Louis Russo agreed not to replace two retiring administrative sergeants, they made it clear the department cannot afford to lose any more police officers off the street.
It presently has 45 officers.
In addition to two retirements, the continued employment of two officers, currently suspended without pay, is in question.
In a statement, Donohue said he informed the township manager, mayor and deputy mayor that if their intention was to not replace officers through attrition, that the department could not afford to lose any more police officers off the street, and if cuts were to be made, it should be made at command level, not patrol level.
He said when SFC William Hienkel retires as of July 1, that position will not be replaced.
The sergeant first class position is responsible for:
• Final review of all motor vehicle accident reports.
• Domestic violence reports.
• Prisoner/jail cell log reports.
• Acts as court liaison officer between Police Department
and Municipal Court.
• Traffic safety officer: responsible for coordinating all reports of speeding throughout the township and placement of speed radar trailers throughout the township.
• Traffic liaison officer with the county Road Department and the County Engineers Office
• Contact person and logistical planner for major events such as: Fourth of July carnival and fireworks, Town Bank Whale of a Day celebration, Ocean Drive Marathon and Christmas parades.
After July 1, those responsibilities will be divided among the remaining command staff.
In addition, Lt. Christopher Winter has announced his intention to retire in 2009 or early 2010.
Winter’s position is responsible for:
• Hiring and continued in-service training of all full-time and relief dispatchers.
• Oversees Enhanced 9-1-1 computer system or Public Safety Answering Point for the police department.
• Oversees National Crime Information Center computer system for the department and prepares for periodic audits for same by the N.J. State Police.
• Maintains and updates all departmental rules and regulations, general orders, special orders, personnel orders and memorandums, through the department’s new Paperless Internal Computer System.
• Acts as patrol commander in his absence.
• Assists Detective Division as needed, with investigations and evidence inventories.
• Assists executive officer with internal affairs investigations, as warranted.
• Is responsible for maintaining the department’s CALEA certification status, which allows for a discount of the township’s Joint Insurance Fund payments through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.
Upon Winter’s retirement, those responsibilities will also be divided among remaining Command Staff. The plan calls for Command Staff to do more with less, said Donohue.
However, because two positions will be lost from the Command Staff in lieu of the patrol division, the following units will remain intact at current levels.
• Four patrol squads of seven officers each to protect the streets.
• A Safe Neighborhoods Unit of three officers to perform traffic safety assignments, bike patrols and Neighborhood Watch Programs.
• Allows department to maintain six detectives to conduct investigations and counter drug operations.
It also leaves in place school resource officers, who are responsible for protecting a total student population of over 3,500 elementary and high school children, said Donohue.
“In addition, I fought to maintain the second lieutenant’s position within the rank structure of the Lower Township Police Department by moving that rank to the position of lieutenant detective, thus eliminating the position of detective sergeant. In actuality, the township will experience a cost savings with this move, as the detective sergeant is entitled to overtime for emergency call outs while the lieutenant’s position is not,” he said.
“I did not make these recommendations lightly and obviously would have preferred that no additional cuts were necessary within the police department, as a patrol officer position was just recently eliminated as well,” continued Donohue.
He said believed he has acted in the best interest of the township and the patrol officers on the streets with the restructuring of personnel.
Donohue noted the compromise was conducted with the Manager-Mayor form of government without resorting to layoffs, wage freezes, furloughs or the opening of contracts, which is taking place in various police departments throughout the state during present difficult economic times.
“I will not support any additional cuts in manpower to the Lower Township Police Department and once the economy has turned the corner and the multi-million dollar Grand Hotel project in Diamond Beach is fully on line, I will be pushing hard for additional officers once again,” said the chief.