Cover photo and headline, but no story inside
In 2014, the City Council approved spending more than $80,000 on an accreditation process for the Police Division. Accreditation means the division is operating at recognized high standards for a law enforcement agency. At the time, Police Director Carl Riley alluded to the division "going through some things" that needed to be addressed "so we don't end up in the paper."
The current situation must be pretty serious if, as speakers at council meetings say, those involved were meted out six-month suspensions without pay. As Corporation Counsel David Minchello said Monday, there are avenues of appeal. However, Lt. Ken Reid is apparently saying "none of the above" to options including demotion with penalties or retirement, where he presumably can receive his pension.
On Monday, Riley had to sit through a lot of remarks regarding the Police Division in general and Reid in particular. As director, he could not go back and forth with speakers, even when Councilwoman Gloria Taylor made comments such as "I don't trust what's going on," "I'm concerned about the culture of the Police Division," and "something's wrong when the good ones are being persecuted."
Maybe it's time for an update on the accreditation process. At least it might reveal some stats on training and perhaps even some metrics on how the Plainfield Police Division measures up according to the accrediting agency, which is the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police. If Plainfield is still working on getting accredited, wouldn't it make more sense to allow that process to continue rather than hiring special counsel for the governing body to investigate the Police Division's policies and procedures at an additional cost?
It's true that the charter grants the council investigative powers. The last major council investigation took place in 2011 regarding the use of city funds for a "Town Meeting" broadcast on WBLS.
That controversy also generated a lot of heat. Sides were drawn and no amount of testimony seemed to settle what was right and what was wrong. Ask anyone today and you are still likely to hear two sides.
Today police conduct nationwide is under scrutiny, largely for deviations from the rules of conduct. These rules represent a chain of command from local through county, state and federal law enforcement. In emergencies, it is presumed that all echelons agree on the rules.
When members of law enforcement go outside the rules, there are consequences. The accreditation process supposedly enhances an agency's understanding and agreement on rules for the safety and welfare of both law enforcement personnel and the public. Shouldn't it be completed before the City Council investigates?
Update: According to a report on mycentraljersey.com Mayor Adrian O. Mapp will seek an overturn of the resolution to investigate the Police Division.
--Bernice
Still baffles me that they want support for Reid but won't say what was he accused of ? I'm sure his supporters know and if they don't why?
ReplyDeleteWhen the Union County Prosecutor's
DeleteOffice is brought in and two officers have been suspended, Ken Reid was not just late coming back from lunch.
I shed no tears for Kenny. The city Council is responsible for this entire mess. They started the ball rolling when they decided to eliminate the Chief of Police position. This is a prime example why politics and police DO NOT MIX. The Plainfield Police Division was once one was the best police departments in Union County. Now it is the laughing stock. The council needs to rid itself of Political appointee Leadership Restore the Chief of Police and keep the politics out of the PD.
ReplyDeleteThe Plainfield City Council was/is unable to muster the rectitude to investigate the misappropriation of $270,000 in CSBG stimulus funding, the ongoing fraud relating to PMUA and the Inter Local Agreement, and the irregularities and profiteering that combined to make a disaster of the North Avenue demolition. It made a mountain out of a molehill with the WBLS kerfuffle, and ended up settling with its own attorney for fees due. Now it wants to wade into an area that should properly be placed onto the lap of the Justice Department, namely allegations of racism, discrimination, and harassment in the Police Division. Two City Council candidates are looking to play this to the hilt ahead of the June primary. Reid spokesperson Salaam Ismial admits to some sort of infraction on the part of his client, but vows to make a certain Police Captain a household name, whose name he needed prompting to remember four or five times. My advice to the City Council is to get out of the weeds and let the proper authorities investigate both the infraction and the allegations of systemic racism. Show some restraint. Don't let the vultures pick over the carcass of another political football.
ReplyDeleteIt's saint Patrick Day, it should be easy to remember the name O,brien !
DeleteI believe the lack of the city council members, namely Gloria Taylor, to make remarks like "I don't trust what's going on" without any facts to back her up, is the shining example of the lack of professionalism and understanding of how public servants should act.
ReplyDeleteI think, I feel, it might be, are all perceptions that people in Plainfield confuse as fact.
When she has legitimate information (more than info garnered over the neighbor's fence) then speak up and back up your decision.
Until then, it's gossip - and the city council should not be leading it.
Leave the investigations to professionals. Has Reid intimated he may start dropping dimes? Feckless behavior by the Council.
ReplyDelete