The Camden County Police Department

Why?

A Camden County Police Department will provide a highly professional police service with an efficient management structure, economical and effective deployment of personnel, consistent and efficient work rules, centralized special units, and streamlined administrative operations. The ultimate goal of the Department is to substantially reduce the burden on taxpayers and keep our streets and neighborhoods safe.

Like many of the shared services initiatives already in place or in the planning stages all over Camden County, a countywide Police Department is a practical, effective response to the diminishing resources and high costs of government. A regional approach to meeting our public safety needs will give mayors and municipal governments a unique opportunity to reduce property taxes, and it will improve police services in a present‐day environment in which crime increasingly cuts across municipal jurisdictional lines.

As individual municipalities attempt to respond to the increases in the number and severity of crimes, how and where they are committed, and the resources to address the situation, a regional approach is imperative. Given the 2% cap, which will continue to restrict the future growth of municipal budgets, this model will become an essential tool for municipalities required to provide more services with fewer resources. In addition, the need for and logic of a countywide police jurisdiction relates directly to the evolving and increasing trend of crime cutting across municipal jurisdictional lines. Municipal borders are a product of history and bear no connection with contemporary management or administration needs. While each municipality is unique and special, relationships between law enforcement, the public and municipal boundaries do not necessarily define the best or most efficient law enforcement technique.

Camden County will facilitate and support the creation of the Camden County Police Department (CCPD) with the purpose of reducing the overall cost of providing improved police

protection to each member municipality, putting more officers on the streets and allocating resources more efficiently. The cost savings will be reflected in lower property taxes for residents in the participating municipalities. A governance structure will be created to provide for substantial input from designated leaders representing the participating communities. While the county strongly encourages all municipalities to join this regional police initiative, the final decision on whether to do so will be made by each individual municipal governing body.

A county police department is a concept based on the important premise that a single police department, divided into a number of coherent police districts, patrols, special operations and investigative functions presents obvious financial benefits. It eliminates redundant layers of administrative operations and bureaucracy. A more efficient management structure will mean more economical and effective overall deployment of personnel; fewer chiefs, senior officers and better use of civilian professionals; consistent and efficient work rules; centralized special units, such as bomb squads, K‐9 units, and detective bureaus; and streamlined operations such as payroll, information technology, human resources, finance, and purchasing and procurement. Shared use of equipment, coordination of resources and elimination of overlapping job responsibilities will result in more funds available to allocate officers to the streets and use additional strategies (such as cameras) to provide quality and professional police services for residents. The cost‐savings offered by this model will be demonstrated by a detailed operational and financial assessment.

In summary, a county police department provides the opportunity to reduce the cost of police services to taxpayers, putting more police officers on patrol, and streamlining police services. To county residents, the local division of the County Police Department serving their communities will look and operate much like their existing police department and offer the same quality service. The difference is that the CCPD will be more effective and cost‐efficient.

The Camden County Police Department Benefits Benefits

 Mitigate police layoffs in communities throughout the County  Coordinated deployment and administration of resources to reduce/eliminate redundant staffing and administration o Create consistent and realistic work rules, reduce related compensation and support costs  Increase patrol officers on the street by eliminating redundant layers of bureaucracy and sharing resources and services such as: o Countywide SWAT, Bomb Squad, K‐9 units & other operations o Countywide Detective Bureau (city and suburban bureaus) o Centralized administration (by zones/districts)  Economies of scale and pooling of resources provide opportunities to use and share existing equipment, saving on capital costs for all participating municipalities, and gain cost savings through shared purchasing and procurement of supplies, equipment, etc.  Reduce insurance costs and better leverage  Eliminate individual municipal staffing costs; County Police Department staff will be County employees  Address unsustainable increases in costs related to police compensation  Consistent with existing countywide communications center operations o All police, fire and EMS communications moving to the 700 MHz standard o All police, fire and EMS already operate and support each other through mutual aide pacts  Countywide police forces are in existence elsewhere and are able to successfully maintain community programs throughout the Country.  In addition to efficiencies and cost savings, an important goal also includes improved response times with a regionalized department. As evidenced in Gloucester County’s regional EMS program, the residents of towns who opted in received improved response times from the cooperative service in addition to cost savings to the towns.1

1 GCEMS responded to 14,180 calls in 2009 with an average response time of 5 minutes and 50 seconds. In 2008 GCEMS responded to 11,382 calls with an average response time of 5 minutes and 58 seconds. Source: http://www.co.gloucester.nj.us/Government/FreeholderPressRoom/pressdetail2.cfm?PressReleaseID=609 3

The Plan The Camden County Police Department

What is it?

The Camden County Police Department will be a police department available to any municipality within Camden County.

 The Camden County Freeholders, in cooperation with the individual municipalities within the county will create the CCPD. The Police Department will be governed by and guided by the advice, consent and approval of the Freeholders, participating community leadership and professionals. There will be an appropriate governance approach that will provide for and require fair representation and decision making.

 The CCPD will be under the jurisdiction of the County. Substantial participation by participating community leaders is required.

 The County will be responsible for all hiring and staffing of the department with substantial participation and involvement by participants. The department will be supported by County Administration staff that will be available to assist with coordinating the transition of police services and facilitate to a Countywide Police Department. The structure of the department will include appropriate superior and supervisory officers necessary to perform the functions of the Police Department. There will be standards and rules developed and implemented regarding the provision and cost of the police services. Leaders from participating communities will have involvement in selecting superior officers to meet their local needs.

 The CCPD will be divided into a number of police districts. The districts will be organized to reflect commonality of interests: There will be a local identity to each district to ensure that there is familiar community identification (e.g.: The name of municipality District or Region of the CCPD). The districts can be aligned to reflect the zones used in the Public Safety dispatch, and districts added as necessary to cover all participating municipalities.

 The County will create the department and create appropriate work rules, compensation packages and benefits for the newly created police department staff. All new employees of the CCPD will come to the new force as Camden County employees under the proposed new rules of employment.

 The County will utilize uniforms, equipment, vehicles, etc. of the The Plan participating municipalities. CCPD officers will have their local identity, and will appear to the community as they do now – as local officers. Attire, equipment, vehicles, etc. will all have the municipal district/regional name to ensure the force continues to be locally identified (The name of municipality District or Region). The CCPD should ensure community familiarity, strong local identity and involvement by the designated leadership of the participating municipalities. As the CCPD evolves, there may be a desire to move to a ‘county uniform’ and create a new branding and solidarity among the newly formed department. Uniform weaponry should be incorporated in this model as well.

 Any Camden County Municipality may choose to participate in the county police department. In order to participate in the County’s Police Department, the municipality will dissolve its existing police department and agree to participate in the county’s police department through shared service agreements and/or MOUs. Each participating municipality will cede their equipment and assets to the county department under a lease agreement. This will provide for the necessary equipment for the department to operate efficiently and minimize capital costs. A process for this transition should be created to ensure commitment and support from the municipality, officials and the county.

 The direct cost of police services for each participating municipality will be passed on from the County to the municipality. The County Police Department will provide each municipality with an appropriate policing plan, minimum standards, staffing and associated costs. All costs will be borne by the municipality receiving the policing services. Specialized services can be provided by CCPD from a shared pool of services (e.g.: SWAT, Bomb Squad, K‐9 units) made available to participating municipalities. Proforma analysis of costs and services should be prepared for each municipality expressing interest in participating and the information should be presented to the representatives of the community.

 The indirect cost of police services (including but not limited to police administration, operations, capital expenses, insurance and legal costs) will be calculated and distributed to all of the municipalities participating in the CCPD. Appropriate methods of allocating these costs will be derived from the advice and recommendations of designated leaders from participating communities, the Camden County Freeholders and professionals.

How might it Work? The Plan  The Camden County Freeholders will create the Camden County The Plan Police Department.

 The CCPD will hire a new police force and staff including administrative leadership, superior officers, uniformed divisions and administrative staff. The County will use quality hiring standards and criteria to employ officers. Where appropriate and possible, civilian staff will be used for cost savings. Countywide analysis of what functions must be provided by uniform officers and what job responsibilities can be civilianized will be performed. Where possible, civilian personnel will perform appropriate duties with the opportunity for significant cost savings.

 Any municipality wishing to participate will dissolve its police department by Resolution/Ordinance. All municipal police staff will be laid off as part of the dissolution. The municipality must follow all Department of Labor notice, time‐lines and processes. There should be established a process for each municipality to enter the county’s department which might include a “Resolution of Interest” by the municipality which would begin the process of a policing plan, financial analysis and community process. This would provide the necessary commitment of both the municipality and county to participate in this process.

 The CCPD can and will hire former local police staff. Participating community leaders will actively take part in selecting superior and supervisory staff (district commanders) and police officers. Deference will be afforded local selections for such positions. Priority will be placed on employing professional and quality staff.

 Each police district will be assigned appropriate patrols, officers and administrative support and services. Municipalities will pay the direct cost of the service provided. Cost calculations will be based on direct and indirect costs, including salary, benefits, capital and overhead/operational costs.

 Staffing will be allocated based on best practices for each participating municipality, and with input from participating community leadership and professionals.

 A detailed transition plan will be developed by the CCPD and the municipality for each participating municipality.

How and When Can It Be Implemented?

The CCPD Advisory committee is meeting bi‐weekly to address issues such as Governance of the Police Department, Operations, Special Services, Criminal Justice Implications, Collective Bargaining Agreements, Legal issues and Staffing.

As recommendations are forthcoming from the advisory committee they will be considered for implementation. Costs will be derived from these subcommittee recommendations and professional advice from the law enforcement community. Staffing and participation costs will be made available to Mayors, to assist them in determining their cost of participating in the CCPD and cost savings to be realized by dissolving their departments.

Transition plans, time‐lines and staffing plans must be detailed for participating municipalities to ensure continuity of service and a seamless transition to the County Police Department.