Budget cuts to police department draw outcry

KEYPORT - The Borough Council met head-on with the public backlash sparked by cuts in the police department's overtime fund at a contentious meeting last week.

Residents were outspoken in their opposition, enlisting various experts and law enforcement officials to make an appearance in a show of both solidarity and support for the Keyport Police Department (KPD).

Aspecial agent with the FBI, the Highlands police chief and the borough superintendent of schools were a few of those who voiced their support for the police department at the public budget meeting May 6. For two hours, the borough hall courtroom was teaming with people denouncing proposed funding cuts to the KPD.

The original preliminary spending plan would reduce police overtime in 2008 to $90,000, substantially less than the $150,000 borough Police Chief ThomasMitchell requested for the coming year. The first aid and fire departments are also receiving cuts of 25 percent in state aid.

Borough Administrator Paul Valesi said an increase of 12.7 cents on the municipal tax levy, roughly 8 percent, means the owner of an average home assessed at $140,000 would see about a $260 increase in taxes per year.

According to Valesi, "We have been forced to make drastic cuts in a budget that was already very difficult to handle. Before the state aid cuts, we had state pension increases of more than $150,000. The rising cost of gas and the decreasing state revenue was untenable, so we had to do across-the-board cuts, wage freezes and other measures to make this budget work."

Residents said they feared that the cuts to the police department would result in an increase in crime.

According to some residents, peace of mind is more valuable than holding down the tax rate.

Before Mayor Robert Bergen opened the meeting, the municipal court was filled to capacity. Those who arrived just minutes early found no empty seats.

Special Agent Edward Parr of the FBI was the first to address the council, saying the purpose of his visit was to comment on the excellent relationship the FBI has enjoyed with the KPD.

"As Mitchell has mentioned, [the FBI] worked with Keyport for 17 years on everything from violent crime matters including kidnapping, gun and drug matters as well as all the corruption matters," the special agent said. "Due to limited resources, we often count on the men and women of the local police departments to be our eyes and ears on the street."

Frank Frehan, a 32-year resident of the borough, implored the council to consider the negative effects the cuts could have on the standard of life in the borough. He claimed public safety was always the first to suffer from budget cuts.

Valesi reminded the crowd that the state Legislature passed a measure cutting state aid to municipalities with populations between 5,000 and 10,000 by 50 percent. According to budget documents, the borough is facing $348,000 in lost aid, as well as the loss of potentially $100,000 in extraordinary aid.

Some residents, like Francesca Tanga, seemed willing to pay a few extra pennies each day to keep their piece of mind.

A mother and a borough resident, Tanga said there is a serious drug epidemic in the Bayshore.

"Along with drugs comes violent crime, so if I have to pay a few extra cents in taxes to make the town safer for my child, [I would]," she said. Tanga's words drew the loudest applause of the night.

Keyport Superintendent of Schools Dr. C. Dan Blachford appeared before the council to laud the contributions of the police department.

"They have made our school safer by helping with Code Red drills, posting emergency signs and assisting with our response plan," he said. "The KPD is called every time there is a fight at the high school. Officers come and take the kids down to the station where they wait for their parents to pick them up.We have gone down from a few fights a year to having only one this year. So I can't tell people how to spend their tax money, but money spent on the KPD is money well spent."

Highlands Police Chief Joe Blewett spoke about the proliferation of gang activity in the Bayshore.

"It is a concern that has to be addressed by every department in this area," he said. "Last year, [Highlands Police Department] served 27 search warrants. Of those 27, 21 were directly related to gang activity."

According to Blewett, of the 21 search warrants, only a small percentage of those served live in Highlands, and the majority live in the adjacent Bayshore towns.

"Gang activity is getting worse. We know this through intelligence reports from the state police and homeland security. These investigations can be very manpower intensive," he said, "But the support of the municipality makes a huge difference. The police chief is usually the first target when there are budget cuts, but I would urge you to look again."

Bergen adjourned the meeting without acknowledging a motion by Councilman John Kovacs to reinstate the overtime funds.

"We will meet in two weeks and see where we are at," Bergen concluded.