Township will pursue grants to retain cops

Freehold Twp. officials say federal funds may eliminate need for layoffs

BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer

Freehold Township officials are hoping they have found a way to keep three police officers from being laid off from their jobs in the Freehold Township Police Department.

On March 17 the Township Committee approved a resolution to seek a federal grant that could provide positions for the officers for at least the next three years.

According to Business Administrator Thomas Antus, the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) has announced the availability of funds under the COPS Hiring Recovery Program from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to address the personnel needs of state and local law enforcement.

Antus said the grant is crafted to fund the salaries of officers who are slated for layoffs due to municipal cuts, at entry-level salaries with benefits for three years.

“After three years when the grant expires, the municipality must guarantee that the officers stay on for at least another 12 months.” Antus said.

The revelation about the COPS grant came as good news to the crowd of officers who attended the March 17 meeting wearing T-shirts which stated, “Freehold Township … Public Safety Priceless.”

Representing the 50 or so police officers who attended the committee meeting was Brian Worth, the president of PBA Local No. 209. Worth applauded committee members for exploring all avenues to “avert this disaster.”

He noted that the officers were supported at the meeting by their family members.

Pointing to the T-shirts being worn by the officers, Worth said, “When it comes down to it, when ‘it’ hits the fan, we are the ones who come running. Police officers have to come out no matter what. Police officers get blamed because we are the highest item on the budget, but we are the only ones on that budget that are on 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. If something happens at 2 a.m. we’re the ones who respond. You call us and we come.”

He said studies indicate that based on population, Freehold Township should have 81 police officers on its force. The township currently has 70 officers, he said. Worth said calls to the police department have increased from 21,000 per year to the current total of about 23,000 calls over the past seven or eight years.

Mayor Raymond Kershaw responded to Worth’s comments by stating, “We love you guys. As far as I’m concerned, we have the best police department in the state of New Jersey, but I don’t know if anyone really understands the pressure we are under from the state. We are getting less aid in 2009 than we did in 2000. Our utilities are up, benefits and health care are up.”K

ershaw referenced the Freehold counseling center that closed this year due to a round of budget cuts last year.

“We don’t want to lose any more people. These are tough decisions we have to make,” Kershaw said.

He noted that the Department of Public Works lost seven of its 27 employees.

“That’s a significant number of jobs. It’s important that we have our police department. I hear all the time how great the department is. In 19 years I think I received two letters criticizing the police. And we do appreciate all you do and we don’t want you to forget that,” Kershaw said.

Isabel Washington, who resides in the Silvermead adult community, told the committee she and her neighbors were enjoying their golden years in a clean, quiet neighborhood made possible because of the police patrols.

“They are a comforting presence and fine young gentlemen who are often responding to life-threatening emergencies here. They make swift decisions and I have witnessed them in action. We implore you to do whatever you can, leave no stone unturned to keep these fine young officers on the job,” Washington said.

Committeeman Anthony Ammiano said that “the police department speaks for itself. They have proven themselves. No one has to tell us their value. We already know. We don’t like laying off anyone. The job you guys do, we already know this.”

Speaking to the police officers in attendance, Committeewoman Dorothy Avallone said, “I love all of you.”

She said she appreciates how the officers “take care of their own.”

Avallone thanked the police officers for acting like “the gentlemen we know you are.”