Police Chiefs Do Not Support 51-Officer Model

Princeton’s police chief do not support the plan to reduce the number of sworn officers to 51 in a consolidated municipality.

Princeton Township Police Chief Robert Buchanan declined to elaborate on specifics Tuesday, saying he and Borough Police Chief David Dudeck will present their concerns at an upcoming public meeting of the Transition Task Force’s Public Safety Subcommittee.

The issue came up Tuesday, as the subcommittee discussed an issue others have already raised; does the Transition Task Force merely implement the Consolidation Study Commission’s report or re-evaluate the best way to consolidate Princeton Borough and Princeton Township.

Last year the Commission recommended the two police departments merge into a combined force of 60 sworn officers, and then reduce that number to 54 and ultimately 51 officers over a three-year period.

Subcommittee members now want to understand the service levels a combined police department could provide at each different staffing level.

“Is 51 (officers) the same level of service,” asked subcommittee member Jo Butler.

“No,” Buchanan said. “We have varying thoughts on that and how we got to 51 (officers) and we don’t support that as an administration.”

Consolidation Commission members believe despite fewer staff, a 51-officer model would provide increased police services for traffic and neighborhood patrols.

Public Safety Subcommittee Chair and Transition Task Force Chairman Mark Freda said the key will be balancing consolidation savings with service levels.

“The public expects we’re going to save some amount of money, but we need to have a conversation with the police chiefs to make sure the services we can provide are the services that the public wants and needs,” he said.