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When your city is known as “the most dangerous city in the United States,” and your police force has a union, what do you do? Fire the police. That’s Camden’s plan. Half of them will be hired in a non-union “Metro Division,” and the half that are about to be offered the opportunity to seek other forms of employment, meanwhile, will be expected to train the new guys coming in. By disbanding the 460-strong police department, the New Jersey town plans on saving millions of dollars for taxpayers — though critics look at it as union-busting.
“This is definitely a form of union-busting” said Camden Fraternal Order of Police President John Williamson. “This method is unproven and untested, to put your faith in an agency that doesn’t even [yet] exist.”
Joseph Eisenhardt, president of the Camden County Police Chiefs Association, has his own complaints:
“The county’s resources would be sent to problem areas like [the city of] Camden, taking away from the patrolling of other towns in the county. There is a crisis, but this is not the solution,” he said. “It’s a disaster waiting to happen.”
Not everybody criticizes the venture. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has lent his support to it.
“A county police force that has a reasonable contract, and that’s going to provide a huge increase in the number of police officers on the streets here in Camden, is a win for everybody,” Christie announced, apparently forgetting the men in blue who will be singing the blues once their jobs are caput. “I’m willing to put my name on the line for this concept.”
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The transition is a bit rushed however; January 31 is the deadline to convert the system.
