City Police Hemorrhaging Talent   Under   Santiago
TRENTON - When Police Director Joseph Santiago arrived in February 2003 he promised many changes to the ways in which the police department operated. Mayor Douglas Palmer described Santiago as “tough as nails” and predicted he would not be popular with many of the old-school officers. Both Palmer and Santiago have repeatedly said that that officers who were unwilling or unable to conform to Santiago’s new standards should consider employment elsewhere and the majority of City Council members publicly echoed these sentiments. Many view this as an attempt to get officers with over 25 years of service to retire, as a means of lowering payroll and allowing an influx of young, Santiago era, officers.
But can the city really afford to be so cavalier when it comes to their police officers? Since Santiago’s arrival, officers have been leaving the department in droves. In less than two years, 44 officers left the police department while just 17 new officers were hired. More telling than the 27 officer deficit, is which officers have left the department and why.
As expected the largest loss is the result of retirements. A total of 28 officers of various ranks have retired since Santiago arrived. Although a high number, retirement accounts for only 63% of the department’s personnel loss. The remaining 16 losses are comprised of officers who left Trenton to go to other police departments and officers who resigned (there was also one death).
What worries many officials inside the police department is the number of young officers leaving the force. Nine officers with 5 years or less have left the department under Director Santiago. The largest group to leave the department was officers with over 30 years of service. Ironically, this would not be true if it were not for the forced retirement of the three Deputy Chiefs.
“It’s not hard for the city to justify officers with over 25 years leaving. But to have so many officers leaving with less than 20 years on the job, that should set off alarm bells,” said one Trenton Police Captain. “Council and the administration fail to understand how important morale is for a quasi-military organization like a police department. Most of the officers have no confidence in the Mayor or Director’s leadership abilities or ethical standards, and that is no small thing.”
The city has lost more than just the experience of the officers. There were substantial costs associated with the training of each of the officers. These same costs will apply to the replacements.
What has become a bust for Trenton is seen as a windfall for the departments who get the officers. Those departments (see graph) get police officers with urban experience, without having to pay for the cost of training.
In August 2004, Director Santiago issued a memorandum explaining that the “Pilot Program” allowing intergovernmental transfers would no longer be in effect. Insiders say this was an attempt to stem the flow of talent leaving the city.
The numbers of officers who left under the pilot program were not available. However, officials admit that in the long run, the memorandum will have little effect. The Director’s policy does not apply to officers hired by other agencies from a civil service list. Additionally, officers who wish to leave the department without using a civil service list can do so by simply resigning. As long as there is no break in service, the officer's time in the pension system will not change.
The city too has received some benefit from transfers. Five of the 17 officers hired by the Director resulted from transfers. Most officers acknowledge however that the city will never get ahead when it comes to transfers. “Over the years many more officers have transferred out of the department. Money used to be the main reason, now there are other reasons too,” said one department veteran.
Sources did not know the city's plan for hiring officers in 2005.