TOMS RIVER – The majority on the Township Council voted to change the way police officers are hired in town, favoring veterans over those with a college degree. Critics of the move said it is a way for the mayor to assert authority over the police chief.
The previous hiring ordinance required a police candidate to have a bachelor’s degree or 64 credits with two years of service either as a police officer elsewhere or as a full-time active military member. The new version that was approved replaces this with an associate’s degree or having 60 college credits, or two years’ experience in the military.
The police chief, mayor and business administrator would interview candidates in the new version, changed from members of the police department’s command staff.
During the recent Township Council meeting where this change was approved, Mayor Daniel Rodrick celebrated the change as a way to serve veterans.
“I feel the U.S. military prepares you above and beyond to be a Toms River Police Officer,” he said. They would still go through the police academy.
Additionally, if someone is currently an officer in another town, they could become an officer in Toms River after a background check, psychological exam, and health screening, he said.
“I completely disagree with the notion that this is somehow lowering the standards,” he said. “If you can police the streets of Baghdad or Afghanistan, you can police the streets of Toms River.”
Members of the public took to the microphone to take issue with this change.
Bob Tormollen, a frequent critic, noted that the town would have better chances of hiring police officers if the mayor hadn’t raised the starting pay of EMTs to be higher than the starting pay of officers.
Resident Juan Serrano said that a veteran could have worked as a clerk for their entire service and might not have the skills or experience that a police officer needs.
However, to have veterans who only have military experience might get you candidates who solve things with violence. “This is not Baghdad,” he said.
Resident Crystal Hendricks said that the wrong candidate could be “dangerous for both the residents and the officers.”
Chris Raimann, another frequent critic, said that he went through the Police Academy in 1972. He asked if the ability to be hired here include their rank, such as a sergeant from another department becoming a sergeant here, circumventing promoting from within.
Council President Justin Lamb, an officer in Lavallette, said “No,” while the mayor said “conceivably yes.”
“We’re going to start bringing over the wrong people,” Raimann said. “We are becoming Baghdad if we don’t enforce the rules. People don’t want to work here without stable leadership.”
Toms River is on its third police chief in a year. Mitch Little retired August 23, 2024 after publicly butting heads with Rodrick about hiring. He was replaced with Peter Sundack, who expressed concerns about “critical vacancies” in the police force in April, according to an article in The Patch. Sundack was replaced with Guy Maire at the same meeting that the police hiring change was made.
“People don’t leave bad companies; they leave bad leadership,” said Tom Fredella, another frequent critic. “Bad leaders will lower standards.”
“I haven’t heard a veteran say it’s lower standards,” Rodrick replied.
One resident, Craig Saltarelli, thought that Lamb should abstain from the vote.
Lamb later said that he’s retiring soon.
“Every field is expanding their education requirement,” Julie Adamek said. “Officers need to be able to handle mental health” crises in the community.
At least one resident spoke up in favor of the change. Robert Byrnes said that military members are trained to be the authority in any situation and also to listen to the authority.
He noted that although soldiers are trained to kill, they can also be trained to curb that for municipal work.
When it came time for the council to vote, it went the usual way – with one set of Republicans (William Byrne, Craig Coleman, Lamb and Lynn O’Toole) voting for it and the other set (David Ciccozzi, Thomas Nivison, and James Quinlisk) voting against it.
Lamb said that it exceeds the traditional civil service model.
Coleman said that he has a Vietnam veteran neighbor who became a Newark cop and served during the race riots there.
As someone who has a “BA and MA in education administration, I do not believe I’d be a better candidate as a police officer,” he said.
Ciccozzi said that this is a power grab – a way for the mayor and business administrator to take control of the police department.
Police officers are often called in to de-escalate situations, and a military-minded person might not be able to do that, Nivison said. He accused the mayor of hiding his power grab behind wanting to celebrate veterans.
Quinlisk said he was concerned that soldiers with PTSD might still be harboring issues. He wasn’t sure if you are allowed to ask a candidate if they have PTSD.
According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission:
“Title I of the Americans With Disabilities Act prohibits an employer from treating an applicant or employee unfavorably in all aspects of employment – including hiring, promotions, job assignments, training, termination, and any other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment – because he or she has a disability, a history of having a disability, or because the employer regards him as having a disability. That means, for example, that it is illegal for an employer to refuse to hire a veteran because the veteran has PTSD or was previously diagnosed with PTSD, or because the employer assumes the veteran, he has PTSD. Similarly, an employer may not refuse to hire a veteran based on assumptions about a veteran’s ability to do a job in light of the fact that the veteran has a disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The Americans with Disabilities Act also limits the medical information employers may obtain and prohibits disability-based harassment and retaliation.”
The Toms River Police Department had a high benchmark which other towns looked to for inspiration, Quinlisk said. Hiring candidates that aren’t as good will open the town up for lawsuits.
Quinlisk, the last member of council to vote, began reading a letter from Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer who expressed concern about the change in hiring practice.
Quinlisk was talked over and urged to vote. It is difficult to hear in the shouting that ensued, but it seems that Quinlisk voted ‘no’ after the township clerk had already moved on to the next issue on the agenda.
The Police Benevolent Association had previously noted that the current force is at 151, down from 163 in January of 2024. More retirements would bring the roster to 146 by September 1, 2025.
