Housing Authority cutting out security middle man
Authority hiring guards directly instead
of contracting out
VERONICA YANKOWSKI Cornelius Walker is now an employee of the Long Branch Housing Authority. He previously worked with the private company that contracted the security service.
The Long Branch Housing Authority is taking a new approach in providing security by bringing services in-house to save money.
For the past 12 years the authority has used an outside agency to provide 24-hour security at its three senior housing complexes.
The authority’s contract with the outside security agency ran out March 1, according to Tyrone Garrett, executive director. He said it was extended for an additional three days to overlap during the changeover.
According to Garrett, the 11 guards from the former agency are now employed in-house with the authority, and will continue basic security measures in eight-hour shifts at Kennedy Towers and Chester A. Arthur Apartments, as well as the 24-hour mobile security unit which patrols Hobart Manor.
"Bringing the services in-house," said Garrett, "will save us money and give greater security coverage, as well as more accountability." He added, "The former agency did not provide proper coverage; we can give better security."
The move to go in-house will also save the authority $70,000, according to Garrett.
The management of the security services will now fall under the supervision of Keith Roberson, drug elimination director, and Randy Phillips, the authority’s director of property management.
The decrease in spending, noted Garrett, will not affect the quality of the services.
Garrett’s plan is to provide not only basic unarmed security, but also to render a community policing service and reinstate its tenant patrol for family housing sites, and set up the substation police post on Central Avenue. Opening that facility is currently being delayed by a computer system technicality.
According to the city’s Public Safety Director Louis Napoletano, the substation currently has a new computer, but its network connection is running improperly. While fixing that will be the city’s responsibility, the authority must spend between $7,000 and $8,000 to update the substation’s network so it can be connected to the Police Department’s network.
Once the computer is up and running, Napoletano said, "every officer working Broadway and North will report to the substation to do paperwork. This will give a greater police visibility in that area."
The authority also has approached the city’s police department for additional training of its guards.
The city’s Police Department is well equipped, said Napoletano, with knowledgeable and certified officers to provide this type of training at no additional cost to the authority.
Since the guards already have basic security training, Napole-tano noted, they would receive an overview of their function, instruction on legal powers, and training in the way the guards can interact with the Police Department. Training also would involve community policing which would enhance interaction among the seniors, and would educate them about senior scams, personal security and crime prevention.
Before moving forward with training, approval must be granted by the city’s attorney, James G. Aaron of Ansell, Zaro, Grimm and Aaron, Ocean Township, who is looking into the liability insurance that would cover the city in the event of potential litigation.
"Security for seniors is vital," said Garrett. "Senior sites are very vulnerable to unwanted visitors or guests. Seniors have requested security."