Franklin Township Nj

Police decry civilian replacing Franklin police chief

FRANKLIN TWP. — Township Committee threw a curve ball to the police department Tuesday with an announcement that a civil employee will administer the department instead of a new chief after Cleo Howe retires in July.

But Franklin Township police, and state and local chiefs of police agencies think the move could be a foul against the department.

Township Committee introduced an ordinance that creates a “director of police services,” a civilian administrator to handle budgeting, schedules and other administrative duties, but lacks the police power of a sworn officer.

The decision is “financially driven,” according to Mayor Patrick Dougherty, while Deputy Mayor Joseph Petsch cited his own concerns that the lieutenants in line for the position are not yet ready to take on the leadership position.

“We cannot afford to have somebody making that level of salary in these economic times,” said Dougherty, who is on the township’s finance committee. “(Police chief) is the highest-paid employee we have. We need to save money.”

Howe was promoted to chief in May 2010 after more than a year serving as the department’s officer in charge. The 25-year officer’s salary and benefits package stands at about $117,000. A director of police services is expected to make between $65,000 and $70,000, and will not take benefits, according to Petsch.

“When you can save $50,000 or $60,000, that a lot of money,” Dougherty said.

The savings could be put back into the municipal budget’s general fund to save police or other jobs in the township next year, the mayor said.

“Finances are driving everything here,” said Dougherty. “Finances outweigh everything that is going on in the town. Without the finances, nothing can happen.”

But Petsch worries that the two lieutenants who would have been considered for the promotion are not ready for the job.

The director of police services, ideally someone with a leadership background in law enforcement, would also be charged with grooming officers to take over the department.

“Nobody today is ready,” said Petsch, on the township’s Public Safety Committee. “All 21 people in the department have the potential to be chief. I don’t know that anyone is ready today.”

Howe, who is strongly against the proposed civilian position, thinks those in line for the top spot do have sufficient training in administrative tasks. That’s because he’s already been training one lieutenant who he recommended for the promotion.

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