Westwood Police Promotion Rule 'Noncompliant' with Law, Committee Says

Westwood officials are reconsidering making a change to the borough Police Department's promotion rules, just months after the Council voted against it.

Currently, an officer must have a degree to be promoted, and officials voted to keep that rule last December despite the recommendation of the police committee to remove it.

Councilman Robert Miller, the chair of the police committee, brought the issue up again at a Council meeting last week. According to Miller, the borough's labor attorney has deemed that the current rule is "noncompliant" with Title 40A, the state laws which govern municipal government operations.

"[Education] can be a consideration," Borough Attorney Russell Huntington said. "It cannot be a bar to consideration."

The law states that "due consideration shall be given to the member or officer so proposed for the promotion, to the length and merit of his service and preference shall be given according to seniority in service."

Councilwoman Ingrid Quinn said she was "surprised at the interpretation" of the law.

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

Councilman Peter Grefrath said the education requirement was originally 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 said the current rule was unfair because it would allow a relatively inexperienced officer who obtained a degree in a subject unrelated to law enforcement to be promoted ahead of an officer who had years of service and commendations with the department.

"If you have put in a long service and have a service record of accomplishments and earned respect, not to have an opporunity to pursue your career based on one factor is something that creates conflict," Miller said.

Miller proposed a 100-point system be used for promotions, which would include interviews and examination of past performance and leadership. Under that system, an associate degree would be worth one point, a bachelor's degree would be worth three points and a master's degree would be worth five points. Twenty years of service would also be worth five points, he said.

Police Chief Frank Regino and Capt. Frank Durante both expressed support for a change at the Council meeting. Officers also submitted a letter to the police commitee requesting the education requirement be eliminated.

"They're looking for consistency," Regino said.

The Council is expected to vote on the issue at their May 21 meeting.

Have a question or news tip? Contact editor Jim Leggate at Jim.Leggate@patch.com, or find us on Facebook and Twitter. For news straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.