It’s a complicated issue with huge implications for public safety and fiscal solvency, and the debate is coming to YOUR county very soon, Save Jerseyans!
Governor Christie and Senate President Sweeney met with leaders from 35 of Camden County’s 37 municipalities last Wednesday to discuss “regionalizing” the county’s police force. That could mean Cherry Hill or Pennsauken policemen patrolling the streets of American’s 2nd most dangerous city – Camden – in the near future. Proponents of regionalization argue it will eliminate inefficiencies and, in the process, take much needed stress off municipal budgets. Bob Ingle recently tried to put the discussion in its proper context shortly before the issue heated up again:
“Whenever a town even thinks about consolidation, the anti-consolidation movement starts printing fliers, making yard signs and talking of the evils. A few years back, a Camden County town was giving it some thought. Overnight, fliers appeared saying if the police departments were consolidated, the cops from the next town over would have a hard time finding an address. Never mind the town was tiny and anyone who couldn’t get around it was too stupid to be a cop.
Medford Lakes is a small burg best known for handing out lots of traffic tickets. Its mayor considered having the bigger Medford department next door handle policing. They nearly ran him out of town for being practical. Yard signs grew like weeds to keep things the same.
Why? If there are 35 different police departments, they have 35 chiefs and 50 captains, etc. A consolidated department would need one chief and maybe four captains. Same with the fire departments. Everybody wants their own little fiefdom, so that can’t be tolerated.”
Regionalization’s detractors form a diverse coalition of police unions skeptical of change that may endanger jobs, “home-rule” advocates who say that government centralization won’t necessarily lead to savings (and in fairness, when has it ever?), and average citizens who naturally don’t want to pay to protect other communities. The only thing that’s clear in this debate is that it isn’t going away… at least until the economy dramatically improves and revenue starts pouring in again.
Where do you come down in this debate? Vote below! And leave an explanation for your position in the comments field.
Absolutely support it 100%. The North Hudson region of Hudson County consolidated the North Bergen, Wes New York, Union City Weehawken and Guttenberg fire departments into one a while back and I definitely think it can work with police departments as well.
Bigger isn't always better. In this case citizens of the smaller communities of Camden County will be forced to give up their locally controled, locally funded police departments in order to fund a large unionized police
department which will give them less protection and no control while they will be paying to police the streets of the city of Camden.
Much more needs to be forthcoming about regionalization prior to people being able to voice an opinion. Where is the information? Who will answer the public's questions? I think you are putting the cart before the horse.