3 officers to remain on force

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP — Three Freehold Township police officers can breathe easy after months of worrying about the possibility of losing their jobs.

Mayor Anthony Ammiano announced at the July 28 meeting of the Township Committee that officers Scott De Luca, Manny De Silva and Jarrad Kodran will retain their positions with the Freehold Township Police Department.

As municipal officials developed a budget for 2009, initial indications were that those three new officers would lose their jobs.

However, Ammiano said a decision to move police dispatch services from the township to Monmouth County freed up funding that will allow the three police officers to stay on the job.

Ammiano said the committee members were "ecstatic" and "pleased" that the layoffs of the three police officers did not have to come to pass.

"We kept saying this would not come to fruition and we are very happy that it worked out this way," he said. "We are happy that we have been able to save the officers' jobs and that they will be able to continue to serve the residents of our town."

Police Officer Bill Gallo, who is the president of the Freehold Township PBA, said 2009 has been a long year.

"I know that everyone is having hard times, but crime still continues and we cannot sacrifice our cops," he said. "We are pleased that the three police officers will be able to continue to serve the community. We are not just a police department, we are a family. We celebrate together, we mourn together, we argue and make up together just like a family."

Committeewoman Dorothy Avallone said she was very happy the three police officers will remain on the force.

"We never wanted to do it," she said, referring to the possible layoffs of the officers. "And we are absolutely delighted they will remain with us."

Deputy Mayor David Salkin told those in attendance that he had seen many police officers at Township Committee meetings over the last five or six months.

"I didn't think they would have to lose their jobs," he said, referring to the money that was freed up by the governing body's decision to move the local dispatch responsibilities to the county.

Taking a cue from Gallo, who referred to the police department as a family, Salkin said the Township Committee is also a family.

"And we are working together for everyone," he added.

Freehold Township officials were notified last week that the municipality would not be receiving a federal COPS (Community Oriented Policing Services) grant, which helps some communities pay for additional police officers.