After state takeover of department, Paterson hires 29 new police recruits
PATERSON — Less than a month after the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office took control of Paterson police operations, city officials on Monday hired 29 new recruits to join the troubled department.
The city already was in the process of hiring the recruits before the Attorney General's Office announced its takeover on March 27, officials said. Their hiring raises the number of cops on Paterson’s payroll to 439, the maximum allowed under the state-approved table of organization.
None of the eight government and law enforcement officials who spoke during Monday’s swearing-in ceremony at City Hall directly addressed the state’s recent intervention or the controversy of the fatal police shooting of Najee Seabrooks on March 3. Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. came the closest to acknowledging the elephant in the room.
“The past two months have been difficult for everybody,” Pascrell said. “If we ignore that and slip it under the desk or the carpet, we’re losers.”
Several of the new recruits interviewed by Paterson Press after the ceremony said they were undeterred by the attorney general's takeover of the department.
“No matter who gives the orders, we have to uphold the oath that we took,” said Kyle Waryas.
Another recruit, Christopher Megna, said he had no doubts about joining the Paterson department.
“This city needs police officers. There are good people here,” Megna said.
More: How much money will Paterson Police Department get under attorney general's takeover?
Last year, city officials said they wanted to recruit more people from Paterson to become cops so that the demographics of the Police Department matched the population of the city.
Kimmani Barrett, who played college basketball at LaSalle University, was one of several African Americans in the class of recruits. Barrett said he wanted “to protect and service” the city where he grew up.
“I could be an inspiration to the youngsters, somebody they look up to,” he said.
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The 29 recruits must successfully complete six months of academy training before they hit the streets as officers.
Among the speakers was New Jersey State Police Maj. Frederick Fife, whom Attorney General Matthew Platkin named as interim officer in charge of the Paterson Police Department. Fife alluded to the troubles involving police nationwide.
“It’s still a very noble profession,” Fife said, “regardless of what you see in the media, regardless of what a very small population of the people say.”
Mayor Andre Sayegh expressed similar sentiments in his speech to the recruits.
Complete coverage: Najee Seabrooks: The fatal police shooting of a Paterson activist and its aftermath
“I commend you for accepting the challenge of wanting to become a police officer in the current climate in our country,” the mayor said.
Paterson Black Lives Matter leader Zellie Thomas has been calling for the city to cut the ranks of its police force, not hire additional officers.
“When they increase the number of police, you’re not going to see a decrease in crime, you’re not going to see the quality of life get better, you’re not going to see response times get better,” Thomas said. “What you’re going to see is the police budget get bigger, and when the police budget gets bigger, they usually decrease recreation spending.”
Joe Malinconico is editor of Paterson Press.
Email: editor@patersonpress.com
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson NJ Police Department hires new recruits for 2023
