Petition started in support of keeping DARE officer

SAYREVILLE — Some borough residents have started a petition in support of a local DARE officer.

Sgt. Joe Myers is revered by many for his years of work as a Drug Abuse Resistance Education teacher. The program is run by police at Sayreville Middle School, Our Lady of Victories School and St. Stanislaus School.

For the past 10 years Myers has been teaching fifth-grade students about the dangers of drug use. But recently he was reassigned from the detective bureau to the road division.

With his new assignment, he will no longer be able to teach the DARE program at the local schools, causing many parents, teachers and students to be very upset.

The DARE program will now be taught by two different police officers and Myers will oversee the program.

The two officers will teach DARE program in 18 classes at the three schools.

According to Chief of Police John Garbowski, Myers was reassigned because there is a greater need for manpower in the road division.

But many are opposed to the chief’s decision to move Myers and have started the petition and even gone before the Borough Council asking them to act.

However, the Borough Council can make only recommendations to the police chief. The chief has final say on assignments in the Police Department.

At that time, Garbowski said he would not change his position regarding Myers and is still sticking to that position.

According to borough officials, Myers has filed a grievance with the local Policeman’s Benevolent Association regarding his new assignment.

The council is scheduled to hear the grievance in closed session prior to the Nov. 13 meeting.

According to Garbowski, it is not abnormal to have the council hear a grievance associated with a department transfer.