| Author | Message | ||
     Fruitcake Citizen Username: Fruitcake Post Number: 37 Registered: 9-2003 |
About 23,000 people lived in Maplewood in 1987, another 17,000 or so in South Orange.  | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 2194 Registered: 9-2001 |
“Would the process benefit from getting input from the community?” Copihue, Yes, I believe it would! As with regards to our police department, all the evidence at this point indicates the system is failing. After listening to our police officers, I’m beginning to think the only way to help them help us, is to help them communicate with the township committee. This call for NEW LEADERSHIP is very troubling. Who really represents the leadership? If we’re to believe “The Light”, it’s appears clear the TC runs the show at police headquarters, whereas, working with his officers, the Chief is damned if he does, and damned if he doesn’t. I'm not ready to blame all the problems on one man who is clearly being controlled by the TC. I would say its time the community intercedes where the TC has failed. Forming a “Friends of Police Officers” group makes total sense. I’m pleased to say at this point a sufficient number of posters have contacted me, and I will plan to have an organizational meeting with all of you at my home sometime next week. If a group of 500 residents can successfully support the best interests of the library’s in town, why can’t we do the same for our police department? I believe we can form a non-political group to not only support our officers various financial and emotional needs, but to also raise funds for other safety issues not presently being addressed because of the tight restraints on our town’s budget. It’s only fair that while they continue to look out for our best interests, we should also try in some way to return the favor in kind…. Thanks. Art | ||
| cugene Citizen Username: Cugene Post Number: 84 Registered: 5-2002 |
Art you can count me in. Let me know the date and time of your meeting. | ||
| Copihue Citizen Username: Cop Post Number: 133 Registered: 10-2003  |
I don't know the Police Chief, I am not sure I know his name, I have no baggage with the Chief, but the Fire Dept. is having its needs met and the Police Dept. does not: the TC is the same for both depts.. I have no doubt that the Chief is between a rock and a hard place, but he needs to do what he needs to do to take care of his dept.. Pack your own chute. | ||
| Copihue Citizen Username: Cop Post Number: 134 Registered: 10-2003 |
I don't know the Police Chief, I am not sure I know his name, I have no baggage with the Chief, but the Fire Dept. is having its needs met and the Police Dept. does not: the TC is the same for both depts.. I have no doubt that the Chief is between a rock and a hard place, but he needs to do what he needs to do to take care of his dept.. That's his job. Pack your own chute. | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 2198 Registered: 9-2001 |
Thank you Cugene, that makes 10 so far... Hey, if anyone else is interested, please sign on asap, I can only accomodate about 150 or so at my home...  | ||
| ajc Citizen Username: Ajc Post Number: 2199 Registered: 9-2001 |
BTW, the thought just came to me that Tdurkin307 should be invited. I know your input would be very helpful, would you be interested in attending Tim? Please private line me if you like... | ||
| bill671 Citizen Username: Bill671 Post Number: 15 Registered: 6-2002 |
Gee Art, I'd like to come, but I'm afraid I might get a parking ticket in that neighborhood | ||
| mem Citizen Username: Mem Post Number: 2278 Registered: 5-2001  |
To the MPD officers who are posting here - thanks so much for sharing these circumstances. Questions: 1. Should the PD chief go? 2. If so, how can we taxpayers help get rid of him? 3. Which members of the TC are the probem? I thought the new TC members promised to help the PD. Thanks in advance. | ||
| sgtcase Citizen Username: Sgtcase Post Number: 34 Registered: 6-2003 |
Mem I hope you are not seriously ready to lead a witch hunt agianst the chief of police because of 3 cops on this board's posting. There are 60 cops on the force this in no where close to a majority. I am not saying that they are wrong but to ask if he must go and how should we get rid of him is a little reckless. You are talking about a man's career and we have not heard his side of the story. The only real gripe we have heard so far is about him not fighting for laptop in there cars. What would you rather have as a community a fire truck or laptops in cops cars. I believe they went a long time without them maybe the fd was in need of a truck, maybe not but we are only hearing one side. Don't get me wrong I want the best for our PD but let's not just jump to conclusions on a couple of posters opinion. | ||
| mem Citizen Username: Mem Post Number: 2283 Registered: 5-2001 |
sgt, Um, I don't believe I was "jumping the gun", I was asking questions. See below: 1. Should the PD chief go? 2. If so, how can we taxpayers help get rid of him? There. | ||
| sgtcase Citizen Username: Sgtcase Post Number: 35 Registered: 6-2003 |
What if they say yes? Are you prepared to do something about it. Are you going to try and have the chief removed. It seems to me that is what you are implying by asking "2. If so, how can we taxpayers help get rid of him?". If I am wrong I will apologize but that is how I read your questions. | ||
| mem Citizen Username: Mem Post Number: 2284 Registered: 5-2001 |
Sgt, No problem. But don't you think if enough Police Officers have a problem with him, we should help fix it? I mean, we pay his salary. At the very least the TC should be focusing on this. | ||
| Kenney Citizen Username: Kenney Post Number: 58 Registered: 11-2003 |
sgt, I completely agree with you on this issue and anything else you decide to comment on. | ||
| mem Citizen Username: Mem Post Number: 2285 Registered: 5-2001 |
Also, - You might have only heard about laptops but I have heard lots of other stuff as well. | ||
| mem Citizen Username: Mem Post Number: 2286 Registered: 5-2001 |
Sgt, It was laptops, not lapDOGS. | ||
| sgtcase Citizen Username: Sgtcase Post Number: 36 Registered: 6-2003 |
I agree with you 100% we need to get involved and help you are right we do pay all there salaries. I think ajc discussion group is a good start. I just think we need to remember there are 2 sides to every story. I want the cops here to be happy and want them to stay but people need to remember that there were a lot of people in the last 3 years who did not get pay raises, got pay cuts or lost there job just the nature of our economy. K&K ran with the backing of the cops here let's give them a chance to work for them and see what happens. | ||
| sgtcase Citizen Username: Sgtcase Post Number: 37 Registered: 6-2003 |
Thanks Kenney I was hoping I had you in my corner. | ||
| Joan Citizen Username: Joancrystal Post Number: 2172 Registered: 5-2001 |
Re: Promotion examinations: In reading these comments please keep in mind that I have been employed by a major municpality for over 30 years and that my primary job responsibility is the development and administration of civil service examinations. 1. Properly prepared, civil service examinations can be an excellent predictor of how well eligibles will perform on the job. For an agency the size of the Maplewood PD with a relatively small number of candidates, it should be possible to develop a series of in basket exercises which could simulate actual performance on the job. Such a test would be more objective and more job related than the process described in the above post. Higher ranking officers of the department could and should do most of the work in developing such a test battery. One or more testing professionals could supply guidance in how to select the skills set to be tested for and how to frame the exercises so that they measured the skills identified. 2. Testing professionals recognize that test taking is a skill unto itself and that it may not be a skill relevant to the job for which the test has been created. In plain language the best test takers may not make the best employees. Therefore, most civil service regulations contain provision for the selection of one out of three elegibles from the top of the list for each appointment. Last I heard, the federal government was using one out of ten. Therefore, even in a tightly control civil service environment, there is some room for the selection factors described in the above posts. Moving over to a civil service selection device will not eliminate the problem completely. 3. Test preparation courses can be helpful but they are not necessary. Most of the training programs I am familiar with in my jurisdiction are either run by the affected union for its membership or are study groups formed by groups of officers. It is not necessary to spend several thousand dollars to prepare effectively for a civil service test. The best preparation for most such tests is simply doing your job day by day and doing it well. The only people who really need study courses are those working in highly specialized assignments where they are less familiar with policies, procedures and techniques used by the department. The Maplewood PD is too small an agency to have many such assignments especially at the lower ranks. In summation: Done right civil service examinations have a definite advantage over cronyism; should not be very expensive for the candidates to prepare for; and can be done for a lower cost than one would expect if the agency's own employees participate actively in their development. | ||
| Joan Citizen Username: Joancrystal Post Number: 2176 Registered: 5-2001 |
Re: Relationship beteen the TC, the Town Administrator, the Police Chief, and the Officers: The best way I know of to combat the kind of poor communication, mistrust, and hostility described in the posts made by the two present and two former police officers in this thread is to establish a labor/management committee including representatives of the officers, the police chief, the administrator, and the TC (with principals attending if possible or designees fully empowered to make decisions on behalf of the principals if not). For this to work the officers should elect their representative(s) and not simply send their PBA officers. If the parties could sit down say once a month and talk out their common problems and concerns a lot of the misconceptions on all sides could be reduced or eliminated and each party could get a clearer picture of the problems faced by the other parties in performing their role in running the police department and its activities. Consideration should be given to initiating a suggestion program if one does not exist and makinga real effort to enact meaningful/workable suggestions. Paying a percentage of cost savings to the suggestor would also help in giving the program more support. Officers should be kept better informed of the reasons behind some of the policy decisions which affect them. This might help to reduce some of the less founded animosity. Talk of replacing the Town Administrator and/or the Police Chief should only be considered as a last resort. |
