JACKSON – The township hasn’t had a public safety director in quite a while. Now the township police department has both a public safety director and a police chief.
The measure to create the position of a public safety director drew some debate among members of the Jackson Township Council during recent meetings but the appointment of Jackson Police Department’s Sgt. Joseph Candido to serve in that role was unanimously approved.
In March, the council approved in a three to two vote, to establish the position of public safety director. A requirement of the position was for all applicants to have a minimum of 20 years police service with police management and have held the rank of sergeant or higher.
During the introduction of the ordinance creating the position, council members discussed the need for the position and different aspects of it. Public commentary included some critical remarks towards Chief Matthew Kunz by the leaders of two township police unions.
The police department had previously been run by a director of public safety for more than two decades before transitioning to a chief of police. Kunz became chief in 2008 and served as the public safety director for two years before that.
Part of the council’s disagreement noted that the position could cost up to $200,000 in an added salary with benefits.
During the second reading of the ordinance, Councilman Steve Chisholm said, “if this was an ongoing problem and such an issue with the chief, I don’t know how creating a position with a $200,000 salary is going to correct that because you are still going to have the chief in that position. It doesn’t necessarily correct that – it just burdens the taxpayers.”
Councilman Nino Borrelli, who also voted against the ordinance that created the position, said during that meeting, “I’ve always voted for the resources for law enforcement to do their jobs effectively and I thank you for your service and am sorry we have disagreements but sometimes that occurs with the human factor involved.”
Council President Jennifer Kuhn and Councilman Mordechai Burnstein drafted the ordinance creating the position and along with Councilman Scott Sargent, voted in favor of it.
Under the new command structure, Candido will oversee the administration of the 110-plus member department and serve as the liaison between the township administration and the police department under the supervision of Chief Kunz who will continue to manage the department’s daily operations.
Mayor Michael Reina called the hire “a force multiplier. Not only does it allow the chief of police to handle the day-to-day management of our police officers and the security of the township, but it also frees him from the constant bombardment of new mandates, regulations, and changes being directed at police officers and departments statewide by the Attorney General’s Office.”
The mayor explained the new position, “will ensure our department complies with regulations recently imposed by Trenton and is ready for whatever changes occur to continue to reform policing standards in New Jersey.”
“This position allows our chief and our officers to focus on keeping our community safe, while the new director role will navigate our town and our department through the regulations and red tape,” Reina added.
Candido said, “I’m looking forward to working with everybody, being transparent, and moving us forward from where we are right now. I want to thank the men and women in the Jackson Township Police Department; without them, I wouldn’t be who I am. They are an amazing group of men and women with such talent and we’re going to make it shine even more working together.”
Jackson PBA President Sgt. John Rodriguez stated on behalf of his union and the SOA, which represents the supervisory officers of the department, “we would like to thank the council, the mayor, and Business Administrator Terence Wall for your help in getting this done and getting us to this point.”
“There is no one better suited for this position. You have made an outstanding choice, and we all look forward to the progress that the police department will make under the leadership of Director Candido,” Rodriguez added.
“We have met with both unions, the rank-and-file police officers, business owners, and citizens, and all agree that at this time, this position is needed to help us avoid some of the issues we have experienced in recent years,” Council President Kuhn said.
Councilman Borelli wished Candido well and said that he looks forward to seeing the director and chief of police work together for the betterment of the community.
“Candido has an exemplary record as a police officer and in our community,” Councilman Burnstein said. “We need an experienced veteran to help guide us through the changing landscape in Trenton and to allow our chief to focus on the job of policing and keeping our community safe.”
