Westwood Police Promotion Change Put on Hold

Westwood officials will wait before voting on a change to the promotion requirements in the Westwood Police Department.

Councilman Robert Miller and the police committee have advocated for the requirement that officers hold a degree in order to be eligible for promotions be removed.

During a council meeting last week, Miller said he believed it would be best for officials to "take a step back and allow their emotions to subside" before they continue to discuss the issue.

The requirement was added in 2002 and the council shot down changing it by a 3-2 vote last year.

Councilman Peter Grefrath previously said the requirement was added because the council was "receiving complaints from the Police Department more than 10 years ago that there was low morale, no chain of command and not a specific path for promotions." 

Miller raised the issue again in May, saying that the requirement was "noncompliant" with state law.

The proposed change was supported by Police Chief Frank Regino and a letter from the PBA, but other officials said they were reluctant to remove the requirement.

"To not include education with seniority is just going backwards," Councilwoman Ingrid Quinn previously said.

Councilman Peter Grefrath proposed a compromise that involved a degree counting for 20 points on a 100-point scale to determine which candidate is the most qualified for a promotion. 

Miller said he believed that gave a "disproportionate value" to a degree. The police committee was drafting a proposed plan of their own, which Miller said he wanted to give the other council members more time to review.

"Everyone has the same intent — to serve the community," Miller said. "Disagreeing doesn't mean anything but disagreeing."