By Chris Lundy and Bob Vosseller
TOMS RIVER – A group of residents trying to recall a controversial police staffing plan might be stymied if the mayor is able to make the staffing change without an ordinance.
The ordinance in question would change the number of upper administration positions in the Toms River Police Department. Two captains are retiring. The current plan is that those positions will not be refilled. Mayor Daniel Rodrick said that the two salaries and benefits cost a total of about $700,000, and that money could be better spent dedicating a much-needed ambulance to the barrier island 24/7, 365 days a year.
That ordinance is scheduled to be heard at a special meeting in Town Hall at 2 p.m. on February 14.
Residents who have banded together on Facebook called “Toms River Residents for Transparency” have begun a recall effort of the ordinance. They have scheduled a press conference an hour before the February 14 council meeting at the Washington Street entrance to Town Hall.
Should their effort prove successful, it could rescind the ordinance or call for a referendum to be placed on the ballot in November. Their objective is to gain the signatures of 5,000 township residents.
“We need 15% of the total number who voted in November 2023; so about 20,000 voted so that would mean about 3,000 signatures, but we want 5,000 to show the Council and Mayor the public does not support,” said Phillip Brilliant, one of the people leading the opposition. “(If the ordinance is approved,) we have 20 days to collect these signatures and currently we have thousands done.”
However, this petition might not have any enforcement behind it.
In a recent Asbury Park Press article, Rodrick said he rescinded promotions in the township’s police department and ordered Chief Mitch Little to make a new table of organization that reflects the current staffing level of one captain and one deputy chief.
He added that while the governing body was originally advised that an ordinance was required to change the number of captains, that this was not correct.
According to the mayor, this would eliminate the need for the police department’s staffing to be addressed through the controversial ordinance. However, the council will still be afforded the opportunity to include it on the agenda for the upcoming Valentine’s Day council meeting.
“The efforts of a small group of opposition is just political theater,” Rodrick said. He has repeatedly said that these are people who supported former mayor Maurice Hill in last year’s election, and are still just fighting any efforts he takes to make changes.
Brilliant said there’s no such thing as an executive order from the mayor to change the township code. Only the Township Council can change codes. If he tries to strongarm it through, that could end up in lawsuits and grievances.
Chief Little maintains that the captains’ positions were necessary for the supervision of the 335 member police department that include 114 patrol officers plus special officers and civilian workers.
The number of uniformed officers, 162, were the same two decades ago despite a rise in response calls from 43,885 to 65,000 yearly and population growth in Toms River that according to the U.S. Census Bureau, climbed from 89,000 in 2000 to around 98,000 in 2023.
The ordinance was to be voted into law on January 31, but things fell apart quickly. Due to an expectation of more residents attending than can fit in the meeting room, the council opted to hold the meeting via Zoom only. During the very first public comment period, someone said something offensive and the meeting abruptly ended.
In its place is a meeting on February 14 at 2 p.m. in town hall. Residents have criticized the timing of the meeting, since it’s in the middle of the day when many are working. It’s also Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday.
Rodrick and his running mates on the council changed the number of public meetings to one per month, officially. However, they have had to hold several special meetings to get town business done.
You can watch the 2 p.m. meeting in person or live on YouTube.
