MONTGOMERY: Police to begin recruitment process

By Charley Falkenburg, Staff Writer
   MONTGOMERY — For the past decade, the Police Department has had the luxury of choosing from a selection of trained and experienced officers on the rare occasion a position became available.
   But that’s all about to change this year as the department gets ready to recruit new cadets to fill future holes left by multiple impending retirements.
   With 34 police officers, Montgomery currently has a full force. However, over the next few years about four officers are eligible to retire. Another two officers will be on extended periods of leave, with one facing an 18-month deployment to Afghanistan. To ensure the Montgomery police keeps working at full capacity, the township is getting a head start on the hiring process.
   ”There is nothing more important than protecting and preserving public safety services in Montgomery,” said Mayor Ed Trzaska. “We need to start planning ahead to ensure we maintain the high level of service our families expect and deserve.”
   The Police Department has been taking advantage of the Alternate Route Program for the last 10 years. Through this program it was able to hire two already qualified officers back in the mid-2000s, who paid their own way through a police academy.
   Now that program has ended and for the first time in a decade, the township has to do all the legwork in recruiting, interviewing and fronting the costs for new cadets to attend and graduate from the Somerset County Police Academy. Police Basic Training at the Somerset County Police Academy costs about $4,000, which includes registration fees, exams, uniform and equipment and tuition, according to its brochure.
   The mayor said they are looking to hire about two new cadets this year, but the final number will ultimately be determined by the interview process and the quality of the candidates. Despite the in-depth recruitment process and added costs to train the new cadets, Mayor Trzaska appeared to think this was time and money well spent.
   ”Montgomery is a unique community with unique needs and being able to train a cadet from our point of view is very attractive,” he added. “This will help ensure that not only will our new officers be top-notch law enforcement professionals, but they will also be a good fit with our community.”
   It could also be viewed as potentially cost effective. According to the new police contract, the starting salary for an entry level officer was reduced from $56,000 to $41,000.
   The recruitment process is already underway as of Feb. 7 when the Township Committee gave Capt. Robert Palmer the green light to start rounding up a pool of eligible applicants. A day will soon be scheduled for physical and agility testing to pinpoint potential candidates to interview.
   Those hired after the interview process will go to the academy in June and will join the department after graduation.
   In addition to starting police recruitments, the Township Committee also agreed to go out to bid again for one of its two remaining liquor licenses. The township initially made one of its licenses available last December after two businesses showed interest. However, neither could afford the $500,000 minimum asking price.
   The committee decided to try again with the same base price after Township Clerk Donna Kukla confirmed three parties have already inquired about it.
   ”There are just too many people expressing interest,” she added.
   The mayor agreed and said there was no harm in putting it out again. If bought, the license would be for an on-site consumption business, such as a bar or restaurant.
   The Township Committee will officially initiate the bid process at the Feb. 21,