Victim claims police failed to respond to emergency
By: Jake Uitti
ROCKY HILL A December carjacking in Franklin Township and allegations that a South Bound Brook police officer on patrol in Rocky Hill failed to come to the victim’s assistance was a major focus of a Borough Council budget workshop meeting Monday.
Princeton resident Ronnie Davidson expressed her disdain for the borough’s contract with the South Bound Brook Police Department during the public-comment period of the meeting.
Ms. Davidson said her 86-year-old husband, Sol Davidson, was carjacked near the intersection of Route 518 and Kingston-Rocky Hill Road and received no assistance by a borough-contracted police officer from the South Bound Brook Police Department who was near the scene.
Councilman Brad Merritt criticized the lack of police responsiveness, voicing sympathy for Ms. Davidson at the meeting.
"I will not vote for any extension of the contract (with South Bound Brook) until we get an answer about what happened and what was done" for the Davidsons, Mr. Merritt said Wednesday.
Mr. Merritt also said he was concerned that unsolved incidents might end up promoting crime in Rocky Hill, and suggested Ms. Davidson get in touch with the county prosecutor’s office.
South Bound Brook Police Chief Robert A. Verry said an investigation determined there was no wrongdoing on the part of the officer.
On the afternoon of Dec. 6, Mr. Davidson said, a car struck the rear bumper of his Acura while he was stopped at the traffic light at Route 518 and Kingston-Rocky Hill Road. Believing it was an ordinary minor accident, he got out of his car and approached the driver to exchange insurance information. As he did, a passenger in the other car jumped into the driver’s seat of Mr. Davidson’s Acura. Mr. Davidson tried to grab the man and recover his car keys, but he was pushed away, and his car was stolen.
The carjackers, described as Hispanic men in their mid-20s, apparently turned toward Kingston and were not caught.
Ms. Davidson said there were two witnesses to the incident, who drove quickly to a nearby South Bound Brook police officer a probationary officer who was on duty in Rocky Hill writing a traffic ticket.
According to Ms. Davidson, the witnesses were rebuffed by the police officer, who said he was busy writing a ticket and the incident was out of his jurisdiction. She said the witnesses then called Montgomery Township Police, who responded to the call.
Rocky Hill has no police force of its own. It contracts the services of patrolling and security to the South Bound Brook Police and receives service from the State Police.
Responding to Ms. Davidson’s allegations, Mayor George Morren said Thursday, "We’re currently on a month-to-month renewal basis with South Bound Brook. It’s important to point out that a solid majority of Rocky Hill residents like South Bound Brook and their services, it would be very difficult if the council went against that.
"I sympathize with Ms. Davidson’s situation," he continued, "but the chief advised me that the officer could not have intervened because he would have had no jurisdiction in Franklin Township, that’s the bottom line. But it is still a terrible situation."
Ms. Davidson said Monday, "There should be signs around Rocky Hill saying, ‘This is a lawless area.’
"I truly feel I must have some justice," she continued. "We have incurred serious financial losses because of an incompetent police department, and my husband is gravely ill."
Chief Verry defended the action of the police officer.
"We received a third-party complaint about an incident that did not happen in Rocky Hill or South Bound Brook," he said. "We opened an internal-affairs investigation on the allegations that were made, and the evidence did not prove the allegations to be true. So the case is closed.
"We don’t roll into another jurisdiction and start handling their calls," the chief said. "We don’t assume jurisdiction."
Monday’s preliminary budget hearing ended around 9 p.m., with Finance Chairman Rich Batchelder saying a second meeting may be scheduled if more work is needed. If not, he said, the tentative budget will be sent to the borough accountant.
"Looks like, by eyeballing it," Mr. Batchelder said, "there won’t be much, if any, municipal tax increase. We are watching our spending levels and trying to keep taxes down."