MANVILLE: How many are enough?

By Audrey Levine, Staff Writer
Councilman says Manville has too few police, based on recommendations
   In the wake of a county task force officer being deliberately struck by a car during a drug bust on South Main Street on Feb. 25, one councilman, and former Franklin police officer, is encouraging residents to remember that Manville is still safe.
   ”Things happen and we are prepared,” Councilman Ken Otrimski said Thursday. “The town is still safe and protected. This kind of thing could happen anywhere.”
   In fact, Mr. Otrimski said, he cannot remember any other similar incidents in which a police officer was deliberately struck in Manville, or, for that matter, during his time as an officer in Franklin.
   ”(But) this kind of thing can happen to anyone, anywhere,” he said.
   According to Somerset County Prosecutor Wayne Forrest, the officer who was struck was released from Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, in New Brunswick, over the weekend and is “progressing nicely.”
   For Mayor Lillian Zuza, the fact that the police officers and county officials are making these drug busts is of great comfort because it means that something is being done to protect the residents.
   ”I think we’re safe, I feel safe,” she said. “They’re doing investigations and making arrests.”
   Mayor Zuza said the town and county are fortunate to have the officers working hard to clean up the streets. “I praise the county for cleaning up our streets and working in conjunction with our officers,” she said.
   The incident comes on the heels of recent discussions by residents during Borough Council meetings that perhaps there are too many police officers in town, and that it would be beneficial to taxpayers if some were laid off.
   According to Mr. Otrimski, the borough actually does not have enough officers: guidelines from the attorney general’s office and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), recommend the number of officers needed in any municipality is based on population, with a certain amount required for every about 1,000 people.
   Once residential population is taken into account, Mr. Otrimski said, the guidelines look at businesses, examining the number in town and how many workers are at each. These numbers add to the town’s population count, he said.
   ”The more businesses and the more workers coming in, the more people in town,” he said. “Manville is very well protected, but I don’t think we have enough cops.”
   To comply with the population of more than 10,000 residents, plus all the businesses in Manville, Mr. Otrimski said, the town should have about 25 or 26 cops.
   The town has 22 police officers on the force. Manville Police Chief Mark Peltack has said the department actually lost three officers in 2002 in an effort to cut costs.
   In recent weeks, residents have suggested removing another six from the department to try and lower taxes, but council members have maintained during meetings that this will probably not be an option.
   ”I don’t believe we have too many cops,” Mayor Zuza said.
   Mr. Otrimski said it can be difficult for the police officers working in any town as they try to navigate around people’s perceptions of their jobs. He said he has heard people ask why the officers are not catching criminals instead of issuing traffic violations, but, when they start to focus more on criminal activity, residents complain that traffic violations are not being punished.
   ”It’s damned if you do and damned if you don’t,” he said. “But these are perceptions people have, and they are always going to be there. It’s just something officers get used to.”
   In response to so many officers from Manville, the county and surrounding towns coming to help during the incident near the pub, Mr. Otrimski said he is glad so many responded because officers never know what they will find when they approach vehicles.
   According to Mr. Otrimski, it is standard procedure for other officers to assist one who might be approaching a vehicle during a drug bust or other stop.
   ”This incident was something that was no different than the guy pulling a gun (on the officer),” he said. “You don’t expect this kind of thing to happen. You figure once you surprise (the defendant), you have the upper hand, but you never know.”