By Victoria Hurley-Schubert, Staff Writer
An acting chief has been appointed in Princeton Township, despite an outcry from borough officials and a recommendation not to do so from the Transition Task Force Police Subcommittee.
Lt. Chris Morgan’s title was elevated from officer in charge to acting chief at the May 7 Township Committee meeting.
”I am very grateful to the township committee for their trust and confidence in naming me acting chief of what I believe to be one of the greatest police departments in the state,” said Acting Chief Morgan on Tuesday afternoon. “We as a police department will continue to protect and serve the community with a high level of professional police service and maintain our partnership with the community.”
The position is by title only and the pay will not increase.
”As the acting chief, I along with Lt. Toole, are committed to working closely with the Princeton Borough Police Department and the Police Subcommittee in organizing and creating an outstanding police department to serve Princeton,” he continued. “I am confident that in our joint effort we will produce a police department that others will try to emulate.”
Deputy Mayor Liz Lempert, who is running for mayor of the consolidated Princeton, was pleased with the measure and offered her full support.
”Having an acting chief is important to the force at this time,” she said. “It is important that your are seen from within the department and outside the department as having the full responsibility of the chief.”
Ms. Lempert said a member of Borough Council had written to her urging the committee not to pass the measure and saying it would threaten the consolidation of the two departments.
”Having an acting chief will aid in the consolidation of the two police departments,” she said. “This will help ensure the department will have leaders from both the township and borough forces, which is critically important. The path to unity is not by shutting out one group or the other, but by working together.”
Although the Transition Task Force Public Safety Subcommittee did not agree with the need for an acting chief at its May 4 meeting, it did recommend that if the township were to proceed and name Lt. Morgan acting chief, they do so with a sunset clause. A sunset clause would allow the acting chief position to expire at the end of the calendar year and Acting Chief Morgan would have been returned to his rank of lieutenant.
”I find it surprising, there doesn’t appear to me to be a valid reason to do it at this time,” said Mark Freda, chair of the Transition Task Force and The Public Safety Subcommittee on Tuesday night. “The Borough Police Department survived with three lieutenants for a year after the death of Chief Anthony Federico. Doing this at this time complicates what we are hoping to achieve with the whole consolidation process. It’s an action that makes the whole process harder and appears to be politically motivated.”
The resolution passed by the Township Committee does not include a sunset clause, said Township Mayor Chad Goerner, who asked for the subcommittee’s views on the issue.
”We didn’t think (a sunset clause) was appropriate, nor was it necessary,” said the mayor on Tuesday.
Because of the lack the sunset clause, Mr. Freda thinks the task force should consult with its attorney about the appointment impact of the acting rank.
”Because it’s an acting rank we will need to see if there is any reason to recognize it as of Jan. 1,” he said.
One concern for township officials was the township being shut out of the upper management of the consolidated Police Department. Without this action, upper management of the new force could be entirely composed of borough personnel, since that department has a chief and a captain. The township does not have positions equivalent positions and the highest rank is lieutenant.
”We made our voice clear in the comments (on Monday) and we see the merger of our police departments as a merger of equals and in the corporate world when two equal size companies merge, the leadership structure has representation from both companies,” said Mayor Goerner.
The main reason for the Public Safety Subcommittee not agreeing to the acting chief is that the temporary position could jump Lt. Morgan ahead of officers with more years on the force. If Acting Chief Morgan is not chosen as chief of the new department — which as the ranking officer in charge, he is a candidate along with Borough Chief David Dudeck — he would become the next highest-ranking officer in the new department.
”What the township has done is decided they need to make a political decision,” said Mr. Freda. “The senior officers of the police department are made of three ranks: lieutenant, captain, chief. The township has two lieutenants, the borough has two lieutenants, granted the township does not have a captain or a chief at this time, they would still have two lieutenants in the superior ranking. The point the township committee is missing is these are no longer borough-township issues, there is one Princeton. They are still acting as if it is two separate towns. People are acting borough or township and not what’s best for the new town.”
On Monday night, committee members said that public safety was a top priority and having a defined leader was essential both inside and outside the department.
The measure was not a political ploy, tit for tat or grandstanding, it was for the safety of the citizens and strength of the police, said Committeeman Lance Liverman.
”I’m extremely proud of Princeton Township Committee members for overcoming the misplaced humiliation and criticism that has been tossed our way for wanting to fulfill our obligation as Princeton Township government leaders,” said Mr. Liverman.
Lt. Morgan began his career in 1997 after graduating from the Trenton Police Academy.

