New Cop Hire Questioned in West Wildwood

WEST WILDWOOD – The borough plans to add a new police officer to its handful of cops but not all commissioners agree on the hiring process.
At its regular meeting this month, the West Wildwood Commission voted 2-1 in favor of a resolution to hire Jennifer Harvey as the town’s newest officer. Mayor Herbert Frederick, who oversees public safety, said he was bringing Harvey in as a regular patrolman, but giving her supervisor duties.
The move did not sit well with Commissioner Scott Golden who voted against it and recommended promoting from within the small department.
“Move one up that’s been here,” Golden said.
Frederick said he would if he could, but the option to do so didn’t exist.
“We have a young department,” said Frederick. “Not that youth is a problem, but we wanted someone with street time and experience, someone that could also function as a supervisor to aid the one we have in place.”
Presently, West Wildwood police have five members under Sgt. Tom Meceli. The department’s two Class 2 officers are actually considered one-and-a-half, according to borough clerk Jim Nanos. Nanos said one works 40 hours and the other works a reduced schedule of 20.
Since the retirement of Deputy Chief Walt Belles in December 2010, Nanos said The Wildwoods tiniest police force has been working around the clock. He said officers work 12-hour shifts, but with Meceli as the highest-ranking member, he’s often called on to supervise at various times day and night.
For that reason, Nanos said it’s essential to have another officer on staff that can also serve in a supervisor role.
“It’s pretty simple,” he said. “We can’t continue to have one guy serving as the kit and caboodle here. He needs help.”
Golden said he didn’t dispute another supervisor was needed. But, he said, he wanted that person chosen from within the department’s current ranks.
“It’s a morale problem,” he said. “You’re bringing someone in from the outside. Meanwhile you’ve got officers here that are working their butts off. It could wind up costing us in the end.”
Golden warned the commission that case law might not be on their side when it came to hiring Harvey, should an existing officer feel passed over.
Frederick said the law had been examined and the borough clearly did not violate it because no officer on staff currently met the qualifications to supervise.
“It’s not a problem to hire outside the department and put that person in a supervisory role because there’s no one there that can do it now,” added Solicitor Paul Baldini.
Ex-mayor Chris Fox, also a Wildwood police officer, sided with Golden and spoke out at length against Harvey’s hiring during public comment. Fox’s brother, Alan, is the borough’s former police chief. Nanos said he retired in 2009, leaving Belles in charge as the deputy chief and then following Belles’ own retirement, Meceli assumed top supervisory duties as the highest-ranking patrolman on the force.
“You’ve got good people here,” Fox told the commission. “Good, fine officers and you can and should promote from within.”
Fox said he knew of Harvey, who he said worked at one time in Wildwood.
“And I’m not knocking her,” he said, “But you’ve got Class 2 guys here that work for pittance and you’re not even considering them.”
Fox also pointed to a borough ordinance, Ordinance 460, which he said was “absolute borough law” and mandated commissioners promote from within.
“You better check it out, guys,” he told commissioners.
Later, Golden told the Herald he was especially concerned with morale issues within the department and possible law violations associated with the hiring because during a closed session that same night, commissioners learned a substantial amount of money towards lawsuits was needed up front should the borough be sued. Officials from JIF (Joint Insurance Fund) met with officials behind closed doors for about a half hour during the meeting, which was then resumed.
Harvey, who Nanos confirmed did work in Wildwood as a summer officer at one time, has also worked in Egg Harbor Township and Washington, D.C. Nanos said she has a background in both law enforcement and administration and a number of years experience comparable to Meceli, around eight.
Nanos, a retired Wildwood cop, also said he did not foresee any morale problems within the small department because all the officers were aware the borough was looking for a second supervisor to assist with duties as the summer approaches.
“If anything, I think they’ll be relieved,” he said.