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LAWRENCE: New chief to come from within

Township Council agreed Tuesday night that the new chief of police should come from among the ranks of the Police Department – specifically, one of the three police lieutenants.

By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
   With the retirement of Chief of Police Daniel Posluszny less than four weeks away, Township Council agreed Tuesday night that the new chief of police should come from among the ranks of the Police Department – specifically, one of the three police lieutenants.
   Township Council instructed Municipal Manager Richard Krawczun to begin the process, following state Civil Service Commission guidelines. Lawrence Township abides by state Civil Service Commission regulations in its hiring, promotion and firing practices for municipal employees.
   In the meantime, Mr. Krawczun will appoint a provisional chief of police until a permanent chief is named. The provisional chief will be named from among the three police lieutenants.
   The consensus to hire a chief of police, rather than a public safety director, followed a lengthy discussion at the council’s Tuesday night meeting. Mr. Krawczun outlined the pros and cons of each, as well as the financial implications.
   The goal is to find the best way to provide for public safety — not just police, but firefighters and emergency medical service, Mr. Krawczun said, adding that “it has been clear to me that the policy of Township Council is that public safety is the priority.”
   A public safety director would be responsible for police, fire, emergency management and emergency medical services, he said. The director, who would be a civilian hired from outside of the Police Department, could bring fresh insight into the operations. The director also could be removed for poor performance.
   However, the director would not have police powers, would be unable to conduct investigations or carry a firearm. The director would not be allowed to view confidential internal memos, “which limits the director’s ability to function (as) we expect,” he said.
   A public safety director also could be subject to outside influences, Mr. Krawczun said. The new position could negatively impact Police Department morale.
   On the other hand, a police chief would be hired from within the Police Department and would have full police powers, but would not be able to be removed, Mr. Krawczun said.
   While hiring a police chief from within the department could be positive, it could also be negative because it potentially means a continuation of the same culture within the department. There would be no new perspective, Mr. Krawczun said.
   Financially, Mr. Krawczun said, hiring a civilian public safety director could cost an additional $104,000 to $140,000 — depending on whether the director is a retired police officer who already has a state pension and would require fewer benefits, or a civilian who would be enrolled in the pension system and receive health benefits.
   The additional cost also factors in filling the vacant police captain’s position, in addition to the three lieutenants — if a civilian public safety director is hired. If a police chief is chosen, there would be no need for a police captain plus three lieutenants. There would be a police chief and three lieutenants, which is the current practice.
   ”It is my recommendation to continue (with) a chief of police and three lieutenants,” Mr. Krawczun told Township Council.
   Councilmen Stephen Brame and Michael Powers agreed that it would be better to promote one of the lieutenants to become the chief of police. It is fair and best to promote from within the department, Mr. Brame added.
   Councilwoman Cathleen Lewis said that while it would have been interesting to have a public safety director who would coordinate fire and emergency medical services, “at the end of the day, the police need a ranking officer.” Given budgetary issues, hiring a police chief also is “the most logical step,” she said.
   The decision to hire a police chief is the same recommendation made by Police Officer Shaun Sexton, who spoke on behalf of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 209 earlier in the meeting. The FOP is the police union that represents the majority of Lawrence Township police officers.
   Officer Sexton said it is the FOP’s desire to continue the tradition of choosing a police chief from within the Police Department, he said. Anyone among the three police lieutenants is capable of building on Chief Posluszny’s legacy of growth and prosperity, he added.
   Detective William Chester, who represented Policemen’s Benevolent Association Local 119, which is the police union that represents additional Lawrence police officers, said the union also would like to see a chief of police promoted from within the department.
   Although Mayor Jim Kownacki thanked Officer Sexton for his comments — which were made during the public participation section of the meeting and prior to Township Council’s consensus to hire a police chief instead of a public safety director — he also said he “remembers very clearly” the May 2012 council meeting during which several police officers called for replacing Chief Posluszny with a civilian public safety director.
   ”A public safety director is the worst thing that could happen to the township. I’m not for a public safety director. To sit here tonight, I am willing to take steps to promote a police chief in-house,” Mayor Kownacki said, as he thanked the half-dozen or so police officers who attended the meeting.