When Plainfield residents have complaints against police officers, they are looked into by something called the 'Internal Affairs' unit. It is how the police police themselves.
One such complaint arose out of the reorganization meeting of the Plainfield Democratic City Committee on Monday, June 8. That complaint is now wending its way through the procedure of reviewing the complaint, gathering statements and eventually recommending a course of action.
Longtime Democratic city committee member, former Board of Education member and current Muhlenberg Hospital board member Mari Bonini complained of rough handling by police officers who were present at the reorganization meeting.
Bonini is one of a sizeable number who won election to the city committee running on the New Democrats ticket.
The reorganization was slated for 7 PM on that Monday. Everyone was eager to be on time for the meeting, as part of the expected business was the offering of alternative nominations for several offices, as the New Dems dominated both the 2nd and 3rd Ward district representatives.
Upon arriving a few minutes before the 7 PM start time, several duly elected committee members were rebuffed upon trying to sign in at the check-in tables in the meeting room, being told by volunteers manning the tables that they were not allowed in.
Mari was one of these and she was removed from the room by the police and threatened with arrest. A fellow New Dem, Frank D'Aversa, intervened to de-escalate the situation and the police desisted. It is her complaint that is being looked into.
Now, here are some of the unanswered questions --
THE MEETINGAdmittedly, tensions were high, but the only fights that evening were parliamentary, and committee members and guests from the community were overall well-behaved. (I spent much of the time during the gasbagging kibitzing with another longtime Dem activist -- who happens to be of the opposite persuasion -- all very amiably.)
What was the meeting from which the New Dems were being excluded by the same people who were checking committee members' certified election status? Was it a separate, private meeting organized by Dem chairperson Jerry Green? If so, did he fill out a separate application with the YWCA for the meeting and pay a separate fee? Why did Jerry Green not cause any signs to be posted outside the meeting room warning that a 'private meeting' was under way? How did those in the 'private meeting' know they were invited? Was it an illegal meeting of the Democratic City Committee? Was business transacted in violation of the committee's by-laws?
THE POLICE
Why were the police there AT ALL? (One explanation by Chairman Green was because Councilor Adrian Mapp had received threats -- which he had. But then why was Mapp denied entrance to the room?) Why were the police INSIDE THE MEETING ROOM, instead of being POSTED OUTSIDE THE DOOR, if the purpose was to keep out individuals unwanted by Chairman Green? On what grounds was Bonini going to be arrested, since she was a duly certified elected member of the committee?
Yet when a New Dem was taking pictures of the proceedings with her cellphone, one of Jerry's supporters yelled to the police to stop her taking pictures.
They did move toward her, but ultimately did not prevent her taking pictures.
What did Green's leadership team have to fear from pictures being taken? And what grounds would the police have had for taking her camera?
There seemed to me to be some confusion about what exactly the role of the police officers was to be. Just because they are paid for these off-duty services by private entities (whether a store, an event sponsor, or the head of the local Dem committee who is also an Assemblyman), it does not follow that they are there to do anything but maintain order and see that no laws are broken. That is an IMPARTIAL duty; it does not suggest that they are there to take sides when parties are antipathetic.
Maybe Internal Affairs can recommend that Director Hellwig clarify what is expected of officers in such situations.
Unless, of course, being a political appointee who serves at the pleasure of the Mayor (and is a contributor to candidates on one side and not the other), Hellwig 'has a dog in this fight'.
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13 comments:
Dan,
Sounds like the attending off-duty police and host did not do their job. Why? This is a community that does not have a zero tolerance for unacceptable behavior. No one is held accountable for not doing what they are paid to do. Whether it be the Connoly real estate scandal (enforcement of property maintenance code or the see-no- evil municipal housing court judge) to failing of police and host to call in reinforcements before this social got out of hand typifies the the inability or refusal of the political leadership of Plainfield to deal with the most basic quality of life issues! This should never have happened. And yes where is the personal responsibility of those in attendance?
Dan I hope you guys really follow through with this complaint. It's far time that someone step up to the plate and stop allowing this type of non sense to keep going on in the city of plainfield. The old way of doing things are gone. Everyone in plaingfield need to stop complaining about the old guard in plainfield and starting working to have him removed.
This question was asked a few weeks ago and it should be asked again. Maybe Director Hellwig or Assemblyman Green will answer this question: About ethics, pay for play, and having a fair inquiry into police begavior, would you consider it unethical or merely the veneer of quid pro quo that Martin Hellwig donated $1,000 in political money to Jerry Green ($500 on 10/10/06 and another $500 on 1/5/07), according to NJ.com's (New Jersey by the Numbers section) list of money contributions to politicians? What wonderful thing did Green do for Hellwig that made Hellwig feel that Green deserves $1,000 in political money? Did he give money in 2008? 2009? Did he give money to Sharon Robinson-Briggs too? How can we find out?
Doesn't he see that this compromises him? He gives money to Green, Green hires police under Hellwig's command to serve as partisan "enforcers" at an event during which they trample on the constitutional rights of duly-elected Democratic committee members by threatening them with arrest. On what charge? Who said the officers had the right to put their hands on residents?? How can we take seriously a police director who directs his officers to act like bouncers?
Is it any surprise that Plainfield municipal government, over which Mr. Green has such influence, doesn't operate in an open and fair way, when Mr. Green can not even preside over his own Democratic City Committee in an open and fair way? It would be well for Mr. Green and his allies to mend their ways or step out of public life.
I was one of the duly-elected Democratic committee members who arrived before 7:00 pm to take my seat at the meeting. I was told by the people at the front table that I had to wait outside. I pointed to my name tag on the table and said that I was legally allowed to be at the meeting. I said by what authority was I being kept out. I was rudely told by one of the men (later identified as Jerry Green's legislative aide Jeffrey Williams) that they didn't have to tell me anything, but that I should leave. That's when one of the cops came over to tell me I had to leave. I reiterated that I was elected and then finally was told, "we're caucusing." In the room were the mayor, the assemblyman, and several committee members, some who ran on the RDO slate, and some who ran on the NEW DEMOCRATS slate. There were also several members of the general public in the room. WHO, then, was allowed to be a part of the supposed "caucusing" that was occurring? I asked why all those people could be there, since many were not part of the committee, and since some committee people were already in the room. No answer was given, but the cops kept saying, you have to leave. That's when I realized that I was being targeted and that entry was being denied on a selective basis. What other reason could there be for some of the newly-elected New Dems to be allowed in, except that Green and his people didn't recognize them by sight? It was a travesty, and certainly contributed to the high degree of tension in the room. There was no reason for it. The people at the entrance had no "standing" at the meeting whatsoever, as they had no credentials. I was later told by several of the committee people who were in the room that they were being given a "run-through" or primer of how the voting was supposed to go in the event that the New Dems decided to challenge Assemblyman Green for the chairmanship. Regarding the police, I don't think they should be deployed for this nonsense. They are sworn to protect us, not to push, shove, intimidate, and threaten us with arrest.
Rebecca
OZ is here.
Sgt. Kenneth Reid was also present at the meeting. Councilwomen Carter and McWilliams were also present. None of them were elected to the committee as Councilman Mapp was so why were they allowed in and he, a duly elected member from the 3rd Ward wasn't? Sounds like Jerry was "profiling" New Dems. And what status did the people at the table have to deny or allow people entrance to a public meeting? And the two cops were not acting professionally. They need retraining or the city needs to disallow a policy of police doing private duty. The cops should also not be allowed to appear in the mayors election mailings. It sends the wrong message and their is supposed to be a police policy about it.
I don't get what your problem is. What part of "the meeting starts at 7 pm" don't you understand? There were others who where invited to be there before 7 pm for another meeting.
I think the worst behavior by far came from the people who have commented so far, the people who showed up before 7 who were not invited. Why couldn't you just wait outside until the designated time? You were pushing and shouting and acting like bullies and thugs. The reason the police were there is obvious. YOU don't know how to behave!
To 9:06 PM --
So, are you telling me that Jerry called a meeting of the PDCC in violation of the bylaws?
And that he cheated the YWCA out of a rental for this 'other' meeting?
Are you really saying Jerry is a rule-breaking cheat?
Shame on you!
Rob --
'Ash heap of history'?!
I thought you said you were a Republican.
A very well read Republican, from what I can tell.
.........;-))
Separated at birth: Reagan and...Trotsky??
Maybe from Reagan's Socialist-like New Deal years....heh
Dan...yes...well read to be sure, I do try to keep my comments amusing and with a very sharp point, even being a Gay Republican in Plainfield. And as I have discovered the fiscal ideology of the "Republicans" of the past do not exist in NJ, it means nothing having that moniker. So instead, I beat up on Jerry and his Personal Assistant!
I think the person who doesn't have manners and is extremely ill bred is Jerry.
Is he really than dimwitted that he didn't think there would be an issue with holding a meeting in the same room?
To 9:06pm - What part of getting along, trying to work together and being politically astute don't you get?
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