Statement from
Edward R. Brannigan
President
Fraternal Order of Police - New Jersey State Chapter
The New Jersey Fraternal Order of Police respectfully but vigorously disagrees with Senate President Steve Sweeney's recent remarks that laying off police officers does not constitute a "state of emergency" under the recently enacted 2% statutory cap on municipal spending.
The loss of police officers has a direct impact on public safety, especially during this period of heightened concern over terrorism. Just today we were reminded that we must remain vigilant against terrorism. Police officers in Newark discovered a vehicle carrying what appears to be gasoline containers connected by wires to a device. The vehicle was parked under a railroad pass that carries Amtrak and NJ Transit trains.
Our nation's terrorism threat level is Elevated, which means there is a significant risk of terrorist attacks. Laying off police officers during what is essentially a state of emergency will leave the public more vulnerable to both terrorism and domestic crime and should be regarded as exempt from the new cap law.
When government can't combat crime and protect its citizens from terrorism because of a lack of police officers, that obviously constitutes a state of emergency.
We take issue with Senate President Sweeney's remarks while also appreciative of his successful efforts to prevent an amendment to the state constitutional that would have strictly capped municipal spending. We are similarly appreciative of his work to permit the public to override with a simple majority vote a statutorily imposed spending cap.
The NJFOP strongly opposed any changes to the original 4% cap and its 14 exceptions, and worked with Senate President Sweeney on the compromise only when it became clear that legislative approval for a newer and stricter cap was inevitable.
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