The City Council unanimously approved hiring an Island Heights firm at $86,342 Thursday to help the Plainfield Police Division attain accreditation as a law enforcement agency.
The contract includes a $6,000 registration fee with the accrediting body, the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police; $47,000 for a one-year consulting fee with The Rodgers Group; $22,016 for the Rodgers Group Online Training Program; $2,826 for the Guardian Tracking LLC's software program fee and $8,500 to Innovative Data Solutions, Inc. for its Power DMS software fee. The last three are annual costs that will have to be factored into future budgets.
All costs will be paid out of a fund of more than $400,000 in forfeiture money and the drawdown was approved by the Union County Prosecutor's Office.
Former Police Director Martin Hellwig advocated the plan in December 2012, but by coincidence the Star-Ledger was publishing a series of articles about the troubled police department in Edison, which had been one of the company's clients. Its testimonial was among many on the group's web site.
On Thursday, Dr. Harold Yood questioned the efficacy of the accreditation process in light of Edison's reported dysfunction.
But Carl Riley, police director in the new administration of Mayor Adrian O. Mapp, vouched for the need to have the Plainfield Police Division accredited, "so we don't end up in the paper." Riley said the division's policies and procedures were out of date and the division "was going through some things now" that wouldn't have happened if policies were in place.
Yood also noted the accreditation will need to be renewed after three years, but Riley said the cost was not recurring and will be much less.
The $86,342 cost will not be paid by taxpayers. Riley said of the city's asset forfeiture account, "Nobody can tell us how to use it."
--Bernice
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Riley said of the city's asset forfeiture account, "Nobody can tell us how to use it." .... Well... as much as one loves a little spirited cockiness from a man in uniform, apparently the Union County Prosecutors Office can since their approval was necessary.
ReplyDeleteBut Doc's point about, just look at Edison, is kind of the stick in the mud on this parade. Per Edison, it just keeps getting worse. Are we to believe it'd be even more horrific had they not had this accreditation ?
It's an online training program. Yeh, right, that will really change the bad behaviors and attitudes of some of our officers.
ReplyDeleteI've seen officers walking along Park Avenue, then taking a little break to lean against a wall and take a smoke. Plainfield's finest -- NOT!
What's really needed, is a little thing called leadership and standards. Oops -- but Plainfield doesn't believe in that. Plainfield believes in handling out political favors to people who think leading a police force means having daytime delights on city time. I still don't know why he wasn't fired and prosecuted.
You have just begun to see the little battles come up pet programs. July 4th celebrations, summer youth employment and senior citizen expenses. Let the games begin.
ReplyDeleteBetter save some money to cover those Political Positions that are putting a burden on the budget and taxpayers
ReplyDeleteThere is also an accreditation for fire departments. Isn't our fire service as important? Or is this more about preservation and funding of emergency service Divisions? I've always had a problem with the Director of Public Safety also being the head of the Police Division as well! It is a clear conflict of interest. His job is to ensure that both divisions are properly funded, but as he is accountable for the actual results of the police division,, he gives priority to police division funding requirements. The ultimate result is that, fire division funding needs and priorities take a back seat. This is true and can be confirmed through review of prior years budgets which must include Capital Improvement Projects. The budget advisory committee must realize that although these divisions are connected through ordinance, the decision to combine the two positions has truly damaged other parts of your emergency services divisions!
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