At the City Council meeting on July 2nd, Councilman Michael Russo proposed an ordinance to eliminate the position of Chiefs of Police and Fire Division. Councilman Russo cited the city will immediately save $500,000. I cannot argue with the financial savings; however, I will take issue with the statement that the Director of Public Safety can supervise the Police and Fire Departments. Did Mayor Roberts hire Superman? While the present Public Safety Director was a high-ranking member of the Fire Department several years ago, where did he get his expertise in police matters? The position of Public Safety Director is also limited by state statute and an Appellate Court ruling forbidding the Director from running the day-to-day operations of a police department.
Dr. Wayne S. Fisher, Director of the Police Institute at the Rutgers School of Criminal Justice and a former executive in the NJ Attorney General's Office, analyzed leadership within police departments. In his article entitled "Who's the Boss?" which appeared in NJ Municipalities (June 2008), Dr. Fisher stated "These ends are best served when one person, and only one person is accountable to elected officials for the performance of the police department. That one person is best called a chief of police.... A single police executive, ultimately responsible for both policy and implementation, will be more readily accountable to elected officials for the delivery of the entire range of police services."
During the past 30 plus years, the present compliment of police captains has dedicated their lives to the citizens of Hoboken. That is over 180 years of collective experience. The position of chief of police recently became vacant and the correct way to fill the position is through a promotional examination administrated through the NJ Department of Personnel (DOP). But Mayor Roberts has not called for an examination to determine which candidate is worthy of the top position. Instead, he hides behind the City Council and lets the City Council do his dirty work. For the first six years of his term of office, Mayor Roberts permitted the Chiefs to administer their individual departments. Due to his lack of leadership ability in holding the Chief accountable, Mayor Roberts relinquished oversight of the police department. He is just as guilty for the mistakes made through his failed leadership. If Mayor Roberts truly wants to reshape the police department, he should: 1) insist the elimination ordinance be voted down, 2) use the experience of the police captains to mold the police department in the short term, 3) call for a DOP examination to determine the next chief of police, and 4) eliminate the Director of Public Safety as the cost savings measure.
Mayor Roberts has stated in the past that he is concerned about his legacy. If this is true, Mayor Roberts should concentrate on the level of police services delivered to the citizens with the selection of an experienced police leader through the proper promotional examination and not be satisfied with a political crony with no police experience.
In any case, eliminating the fire and police chiefs' positions is not sound policy and threatens the safety and well being of the residents of Hoboken, whether it be promulgated by the mayor or the city council.
Sincerely,
Dr. Daniel Simone
Police Captain
Hoboken Police Department
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