Subject: EHC, Mullica will consider merging police forces: By ERIC SCOTT CAMPBELL Staff Writer, The Press; Next week, Egg Harbor City and Mullica Township both are expected to approve a study of whether they could benefit by merging their police departments. Egg Harbor City Mayor Joseph Kuehner and Mullica Township Mayor William Kennedy have for months discussed commissioning the study. The municipalities already share an emergency dispatch service. "That's what the governor wants, the shared services, so that's what we're looking at," Kennedy said. If they merge the police departments, officials intend to keep both stations operational and both work forces intact. With roughly 15 officers each, the departments are in no position to trim, officials said. "That's why we're not sure where the savings would be," Kuehner said. "If we go into the study and we find out there is no savings and no benefit, I wouldn't do it just to appease the governor." Kennedy made clear he expected any financial incentive would come from extra state subsidy, not from reducing police expenses. "There is no basic savings just to do it," Kennedy said. "If they say it's feasible and, 'We have no money for you,' then we'll say, 'Thank you for the study.' The savings would come in what the state's going to give us to implement it." The main obstacle to a merger is Egg Harbor City's decades-old policy of hiring and promoting on the merits of New Jersey civil service tests. Mullica Township has no such policy. "That's a hurdle that's super-high," Egg Harbor City Police Chief John McColgan said. Filling one position sometimes takes up to a year in the civil service system, he added. "I just wish they had faster turnaround service." McColgan hasn't heard much about the study or discussed it much with the officers. He said he didn't know whether there would be any savings in merging, considering the departments' differences. "Our cars are different, our uniforms are different, our equipment is different," McColgan said. Mullica Township Police Chief Joseph Barbera could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Kennedy described the chief as being "on board" with the study. A merged department would presumably have one chief, officials said, although it was not clear how he or she would be chosen. Also unclear was how much the study itself would cost. The "stated maximum" state subsidy for a shared-services feasibility study is $20,000, but more could be available "where warranted," said Chris Donnelly, spokesman for the state Department of Community Affairs. The municipalities would request bids to do the study; the whole process would probably take a few months, Kuehner predicted. "I can't see it taking too long. We're not big outfits," Kennedy said. Local legislators for both "outfits" said they were willing to take at least the first step. "It doesn't hurt to do the study," said Betty Schoenstein, an Egg Harbor City councilwoman. "I think we'd be foolish not to look into it," said Janet Forman, a Mullica Township committeewoman. "With all these cuts from the state, we have no choice."

RESPONSE: The savings that experts perceive is in those at the top of merged operations. One would only need one Chief of Police. That alone would save over $100,000 and would eliminate one cop and provide the same level of patrol officers and more back up. Instead of two patrol cops on patrol in each of the two towns...during slow shifts the Police could get by with three patrol cops instead of four. Also, there might be a need for less upper command police officers, that would save money...the number of Sergeants, Lieutenants and Captains could be reduced.

The notion that the only savings would come from the State funding to help combine the two police departments is ridiculous. In area Egg Harbor City is much smaller than Mullica and yet has more crime. There are several housing projects in Egg Harbor City that require a different level of police work than the very rural nature of Mullica demand. Combining the two Court systems should also be on the table and may be much easier to achieve and would seem to go hand and hand. It does not serve the goal when leaders have already jumped to conclusions about the level of savings. It seems likely that this matter would be discussed at the Tuesday, April 22nd Mullica Town Meeting.