Police chief tells council of department’s many needs

By jennifer dome
Staff Writer

By jennifer dome
Staff Writer

SOUTH RIVER — Police Chief Wesley Bomba had more than the expired contracts for borough Policemen’s Benevolent Association (PBA) members and crossing guards on his mind when he attended the Borough Council meeting Monday.

Bomba requested a more open line of communication between the police and borough officials, and also discussed equipment and employees that he says the department needs.

"These people are first-responders; they deserve better," Bomba said of his police officers after the meeting Monday.

Although the PBA went to arbitration earlier this year to work out a new contract with the borough, the chief said he would like to see attorneys left out of the process, if possible. The legal fees are too costly for both sides of the table, he said.

Bomba met with Mayor Robert Szegeti Tuesday, who later said that the two officials are "moving forward." Szegeti said he intends to take on more responsibility when it comes to public safety matters, especially since the police department is the largest department in the borough.

"Maybe there needs to be more of a dialogue between the chief and myself," Szegeti said.

The mayor and the chief looked over a recent proposal from the crossing guards Tuesday, and they will also continue discussing the PBA’s contract in another meeting, tentatively scheduled for next week, he said.

"It comes on both sides of the table. It’s give and take on both sides," Szegeti said.

Negotiations reached a stalemate earlier this year after the officers said they were not offered an acceptable pay raise. Since that time, the police, fire, first aid and other emergency service personnel have created the South River Safety Alliance in order to build unity and support for the public safety agencies.

One point of contention that Szegeti said was resolved by the Borough Council Monday was an addition to the fleet of police vehicles.

At the business meeting Sept. 1, Borough Councilman Richard Reichenbach pressed the council to give the department three new patrol cars and one sport utility vehicle this year. Whether they purchase the vehicles outright, or lease one or two, the department is in need of all four vehicles, Reichenbach said.

According to Bomba, most of the vehicles in the department have from 80,000 miles to more than 100,000 miles on them.

Council President David Sliker said that the budget allows the purchase of two new police vehicles each year. This year, after discussion with the chief, he thought the agreement was to buy two patrol cars and one sport utility vehicle. Sliker said he felt uncomfortable buying four vehicles, since one or more would have to be leased rather than purchased outright.

Sliker later told Greater Media Newspapers that the council may be able to buy all four of the vehicles for the police department this year. Department of Public Works Director George Lyons told the council he could forego the purchase of a pick-up truck for his department, adding $36,000 to the $68,000 available to purchase police vehicles, Sliker said.

With the $104,000, Sliker said he hopes the borough can purchase all of the vehicles outright and not have to use a leasing plan. The council approved the resolution to purchase the vehicles at the public council meeting this week.

The police department should receive the vehicles — once they are purchased, painted and equipped — by early 2003, Sliker said.

Bomba also discussed the need for another police dispatcher Monday.

According to Szegeti, one dispatcher is out on medical leave, and another position that remains open may be filled soon.

Two of the department’s lieutenants are also out on medical leave, the mayor said.

Bomba said that the lack of a contract for his officers, and the fact that the squad is short two police officers and two dispatchers, is compounded by the fact that the department is still waiting to be returned to its headquarters on Main Street. Since the construction of the police headquarters began approximately two years ago, the police have been housed in trailers on William Street.

"It’s getting to be too much, and I can’t take it," Bomba said last week.

Councilman Tele Koukourdelis agreed with the chief this Monday, stating that the delay for the construction of the police department has gone on too long.

Now that the new contractor for the headquarters is moving along with the construction, however, he believes that the building could be opened in November or December.