Civilian oversight of the Princeton Police
Department was put in the hands of the town administrator, Mayor Liz Lempert
and three other council members decided Monday.
By a 4-3 vote, they were able to adopt an
ordinance that assigns the responsibility of being the “appropriate authority”
to municipal government’s top employee, now Robert W. Bruschi. The ordinance,
criticized for what opponents said was contradictory language, also reserves
the right for the governing body to weigh in on major police issues.
The question about who within the government
should have oversight — a non-elected staff member or the politicians — had
vexed the council. Princeton officials were split into two camps based on
strong views that they aired at their meeting Monday.
Critics of the ordinance argued that
officials ought not to be delegating, especially given the troubled histories
with the old borough and township police departments.
Councilwoman Jo S. Butler, later joining
Councilwoman Jenny Crumiller and Patrick Simon in opposing the ordinance,
called the measure “poorly constructed” and one that tries to be all things to
all people. She noted how on one hand, the ordinance gives the mayor and
council the responsibility to adopt police rules and regulations, even though
state law reserves that to the appropriate authority.
Town attorney Edwin W. Schmierer said
nothing in state law prohibits the town administrator from “delegating” some of
those responsibilities to the mayor and the council.
Later, addressing a concern that Mayor
Lempert had raised about not wanting to politicize the department, Ms. Butler
called that notion a “vague” and “hyped-up threat.”
Councilman Lance Liverman, however, did not
understand the “fear” that some had about moving forward with the ordinance.
Likewise, Councilwoman Heather H. Howard said she favored the measure to
provide a “responsible, professional” oversight of the department.
Representatives of the police department
were at the meeting, but they did not comment about the decision.At the moment,
the town is without a police chief given the retirement of Chief David J.
Dudeck as of Sept. 1. As part of their work, officials will have to decide how
best to structure the leadership of the department. One idea that has gained
traction is to have a civilian administrator.
The town has a consultant, the Rogers Group,
to review the department.
