Toms River council reverses police captain job cuts; mayor says he'll just skip promotions

TOMS RIVER - A police staffing ordinance that eliminated two captains' positions was unanimously repealed Wednesday night by the Township Council, after residents collected enough signatures on a petition to force a referendum on the matter.

But the mayor says that won't change a thing. He simply won't approve any promotions to captain.

Council members voted 7 to 0 to repeal the controversial ordinance after Township Clerk Mike Cruoglio announced that he had certified a petition asking that the measure be rescinded or placed on the ballot for a special election.

Under state law, petitioners had to collect 3,079 signatures to force a repeal or public vote on the ordinance. That number represents 15% of the registered voters who cast ballots in the last state Assembly election, which was in November 2023.

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Mayor Daniel Rodrick stressed again that he does not need the ordinance to implement his plan: he simply will not approve any additional captains' promotions in the police department.

"The fact is, I never needed the ordinance," the mayor said. "It is the administration's right to determine staffing levels at the police department and that is what we will do."

Rodrick thanked council members for supporting his plan to fund eight new emergency medical technicians with the $700,000 in savings he said will come from not filling the positions of two retiring police captains.

Rodrick has repeatedly said that a lack of EMTs is a "life-and-death issue" and has claimed that some residents have waited up to half an hour for an ambulance to arrive, although he has not produced any evidence to back up that claim.

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EMT salaries in Toms River

Before the meeting, Rodrick said he his administration had reached an agreement with the EMS union on a $62,000 starting salary for full-time first aiders, plus pension and benefits. Part-timers will receive $35 an hour, but no benefits. "I believe this makes us the best starting salary for an EMT in the state of New Jersey," the mayor said.

He said the salaries — higher than the starting pay for a police officer — will lure the best EMTs to Toms River.

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"I have been advised that we could easily defeat this petition in court," Rodrick said, claiming that petitioners who were supposed to be witnessing residents' signatures had instead left petition sheets at local restaurants to be signed. But he said he did not want to spend taxpayers' money arguing the issue in court.

"To avoid the cost of a special election or litigation, I have advised the council to repeal the ordinance," the mayor said. "We are going to do what’s best for residents. We won’t be pushed around by unions."

'Bloody outrageous'

Councilwoman Lynn O'Toole said she still supports "the mayor’s plan not to backfill these two management positions in this police department. … It is unbelievable and bloody outrageous that people are fighting this."

She said she believes the petition was presented to the people of Toms River "under false pretenses," with some of the signees believing incorrectly that the council intended to defund the police.

Council President Craig Coleman said "we have all read and heard horror stories of wait times of up to 30 minutes" for an ambulance.

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"No one is defunding the police. All the money goes right back into the department’s budget," he added, noting that the first aiders who are being hired will work for the police department as community service officers.

Councilmen David Ciccozzi and James Quinlisk, who voted against the police staffing ordinance when it was adopted last month, praised residents for getting involved.

"I want to thank everyone here that was involved in this petition," Ciccozzi said. "God bless you all, they heard us and more petitions can come down the road."

The cuts were criticized by Toms River's Policemen's Benevolent Association and the Fraternal Order of Police, which represents superior officers. In a letter to residents posted on their social media sites last week, the two police unions said the average response time for an ambulance in 2023 was 7.9 minutes, and the average police officer response to a first aid call was 6.7 minutes.

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Jean Mikle covers Toms River and several other Ocean County towns, and writes about issues related to Superstorm Sandy. She's also passionate about the Shore's storied music scene. Contact her: @jeanmikle,  jmikle@gannettnj.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Toms River council reverses cop job cuts; mayor says nothing changes