The Helmetta Borough Council overrode a mayoral veto and moved to replace the position of police director, a civilian administrative post, with a chief of police at a contentious meeting.
Sgt. Chad Lockman, an East Brunswick resident, was appointed as the borough’s top law enforcement official last week immediately following the creation of the position.
“I’m excited to be chief of police. I want to move the department forward by getting more technology involved and boosting morale, which I think has been lacking for the past few years,” Lockman said following his swearing-in.
At the May 20 meeting, Mayor Nancy Martin stated her opposition not to Lockman’s appointment, but the ordinance creating the position of chief in lieu of a civilian police director.
Former Police Director Robert Manney, who began working in Helmetta on March 31, 2014, was terminated by a vote of the Borough Council on April 22, according to Interim Business Administrator Matthew Crane.
“I’m part of the public safety committee, and I wasn’t really included in the process [of drafting this ordinance],” Martin said. “As per the statute, I am returning back to you the chief of police ordinance unsigned.
“I believe it is not in the best interest of our residents at this time to revert back to a chief of police. I’ve instructed the borough attorney that I will not make the appointment of chief of police, as allowed by law.”
Councilwoman Yvette Bruno moved to override the mayor’s veto with a two-thirds vote of the council. Councilman Pete Karczewski seconded the motion, with Councilman Joe Perez and Councilman Chris Slavicek joining in voting to override the veto. Councilwoman Denise Estrada abstained, and Councilman Vincent Asciolla was absent.
The same was true of the roll call vote to appoint Lockman as chief of police.
Martin responded by stating that she believes municipal tax increases warranted an “efficiency study” of the Police Department, which prompted tense discussion among the divided officials. She said that out of 100 residents polled, just four opposed the idea.
However, Karczewski said he does not believe tax increases are directly related to the borough’s Police Department.
“There are other reasons for the tax increases,” Karczewski said.
Helmetta has a recent history of tension with the Police Department, with three officers naming either the borough, Martin, the department or all three in separate lawsuits since 2013.
On Jan. 28, 2013, attorney Robert Tandy filed a complaint in state Superior Court on behalf of former Police Director Andrew Ely, alleging that Martin directed police officers to issue traffic summonses for all speeding violations in excess of 5 mph above the speed limit — unless a Helmetta resident committed the violation.
Ely resigned after “continuous acts of retaliation and months of harassment,” according to the complaint. Another part-time police director, Gregory Bennett, succeeded Ely in November 2012, only to file a lawsuit of his own.
Then, in 2013, former Class II Patrol Officer George Kosanovich filed a lawsuit claiming he was discriminated against because of his sexual orientation and pressured to meet a per-shift ticket quota.
The lawsuit brought by Kosanovich and Ely remained active in Superior Court as of May 26 despite the completion of a settlement conference before Judge Douglas Wolfson last week.
Despite the reorganization and political atmosphere, Lockman said he doesn’t expect much of a day-to-day change because he has already been serving in an administrative capacity for some time. Several officers present at the meeting agreed the transition from a department led by a director to one overseen by a chief shouldn’t disrupt the daily routine.