Newly planned police captain to replace Chief Santiago?

Mayor Robinson-Briggs proposes replacing Police Chief with a Captain.

Plainfield's police chief is to be eliminated, replaced by a Captain styled the 'Executive Officer' who reports directly to the Public Safety Director, according to a plan presented to the Council June 18th.

The room was stunned with the audacity of Public Safety Director Martin Hellwig's proposal; the Chief told reporters that evening that the Director's remarks took him completely by surprise.

Notwithstanding that the elimination of the police chief position is still in the talk stage, rumors are circulating that the Green/Robinson-Briggs administration is preparing to create another Captain slot in the Police Division in preparation for moving the newly-minted Captain into the 'Executive Officer' slot proposed by Mr. Hellwig.

The proposed 'Executive Officer' would report to the
Public Safety Director.

This flies directly in the face of the 2004 findings by the Division of Local Government Services of the Department of Community Affairs, which found the Police Division overburdened with captains and specifically recommended the following staffing reductions through attrition --

a. Recommend the reduction of the police captains ranks from seven to four.

b. Recommend the reduction of police lieutenants ranks from 10 to nine.

c. Recommend the reduction of police sergeants ranks from 25 to 23.

So now, the Administration proposes to create an ADDITIONAL Captain.

It is not clear how this Administration plans to eliminate the chief's job.

There is a difference of opinion as to whether a CHARTER CHANGE would be needed (necessitating action by the Legislature, and perhaps opening the door to a Charter revision that could prove dyspeptic for the Green/Robinson-Briggs regime) or a simple ORDINANCE by the City Council (it is by no means clear the Council wants to play the heavy in this matter, which is essentially the ADMINISTRATION'S game).

Meanwhile, one of the two cases involving the Chief and the City has again been postponed -- I am told the City has not even begun to take depositions yet. Part of a strategy of attrition? Who knows.

Expect to hear more.

---

DCA Recommendations, Courier, 8/11/2004: "Police Division: Summary of recommendations"
Plainfield Today, 6/19/2007: "Plainfield mayor wants to get rid of police chief"
Administration's 2007 Plan: "Police Reorganization Plan, 6/18/2007"

-- Dan Damon

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