Good for Ms. Donovan! It's about time someone stood up against the usual backroom deal making and politics, especially when it comes at the expense of public safety. This is a power play by party bosses and thugs Yudin, Saudino, Cardinale and Mitchell and has nothing to do with saving money. We saw this with Ferierro, Coniglio, Oury and McGuire not long ago. All fools!!!!

What a joke and a waste of our money. Merge the departments like the rest of the real world has done. The "specialized" units that are with County Police just move under the Sheriffs Dept. Most towns already have dive teams so you can get rid of the county there, the Sheriff already has K-9 units so that excuse is gone also. Most people dont understand that a merger does not mean that the parks and roads wont get patrolled it will just be under the Sheriff's dept. Same "worries" happened when Essex County merged and there are more officers on patrol there now.

Donovan stood up against backroom deals?? Are you kidding? Alan Marcus(aka Puppet Master) is calling the shots. He's not even an elected official.
Marcus/Donovan/Trawinski/Baratta vs Yudin/Cardinale/et al.
This is a fun fight to watch and it's costing us, the taxpayers. Sue, sue, sue. Way to go Donovan.
Donovan/Trawinski/Baratta are a disgrace to the Republican party.

Come one guys, they don't even have a plan or real dollar figures. They voted on a concept with out any real data. How is that fair to the taxpayers? This could wind up costing us money, just ask Sheriff Fontoura in Essex County. He said Essex is still paying out from the lawsuits. This is Yudin pulling the strings like Ferierro used to do.

Yudin won the chairmanship. Donovan's puppet Rottino lost.
The fact that Yudin won shows that Donovan doesn't have the support she thought she had. She is a sore loser and is acting like an overgrown child. Maybe she should just take a couple of tokes with her son and chill out. She is looking desperate with this frivolous lawsuit.

Enough is enough, stop wasting our money on more lawsuits. Save the taxpayers money and let the Sheriff take over the County Police. We will save money in the long run. All their specialized units will be left intact but under the Sheriff. A large number of County officers will retire. No one will be laid off or hurt, just the price of changing patches. The county will also save money on not building a new County Police headquarters. Donavan has to stop fighting with every one and wasting taxpayers money on more lawsuits. She can save the county money by doing that first. Let the Sheriff absorb the County Police already.

The lawsuits keep coming, Fair Lawn has been infected by the same disease, and it spreads!

With all due respect, Yudin's actions, especially in this instance, will hand deliver the offices being sought this November to the dems. They (the dems) must be sitting back, eating their popcorn waiting for the Republican's Titanic to take on water. It's only gonna get worse, so buckle up Dorothy!

Joe C. - just the price of changing patches?? Really?? There has been no mention of costs of potential litigation, collective bargaining agreements, uniforms and leather equipment, construction, warrants, evidence, central municipal court, police records, communications and radios, vehicle painting/striping, existing agency contracts, standardizing weapons and ammo, etc., etc., etc. Get real, this will cost us big bucks!!

For the love of God does anyone read or better comprehend anything that is written anymore? They are DISSOLVING the police force not CONSOLIDATING.This means BOMB SQUAD which is under the juristiction of the FBI will be gone immediately. The SWAT team gone immediately. This sounds like good ideas with what is going on in our country. People understand what is going on here. There is no units left in intact they will all be fired. There will be no specialized units and no new ones are currently being trained. What are we doing? I guess Mitchell is pandering to Yudin and Cardinale looking for his next gig, while the safety of Bergen County residents is placed in harms way.

the politicians pretty much sue automatically when they lose an election ("I wuz robbed!"), and more and more they are sueing each other. when will the madness stop?! no wonder the courts are jammed. our tax dollars at work. geeez

Why merge them? The county police department should be eliminated, instead. Talk about a do-nothing force. Bergen County, half the size of NYC, has over 60 police departments. They all should be downsized, merged and dissolved.

Correction (Sorry) ...the Freeholders resolution says MERGE, Donovan's objection is that they have no jurisdiction to DISSOLVE, and the headline of the article says Freeholders Vote to Dissolve -- are we following all this??

I guess - legally - you'd have to dissolve the County Police as an ENTITY in order to merge the residual FUNCTIONS into the Sherrif's Dept. I'm now CERTAIN the "average voter" will want to follow the intriciacies of all this on a ballot referendum, translated into 5 languages!

BTW, I'm guessing Donovan is right...the Freeholders don't have jursidiction, which may be why they want to put it to a voter referendum.... a CYA maneuver?

Nice Kelly, what do you and your husbsmd do for work? I say your jobs should be eliminated

Bergen County has some 70 police departments. It should have but one, with 70 precincts (based on the municipal boundaries), each with a precinct commander. This way, local cops patrol their own towns. No need for 70 chiefs.

But it'll never happen. The chiefs will scare the daylights out of the residents and it'll never go through.

This is not an issue for the general public to resolve. That would be like the shareholders voting to merge two corporate departments. This should be resolved by the elected officials.

And this is why Bergen County has just become too expensive. Too much money being wasted, I'm sorry but the salaries of some of these officers, to do basically nothing in many areas of the county is absolutely absurd. How about capping the salaries and trying to lower property taxes? Thus lawsuit just goes to show that all these politicians just want to waste more taxpayer dollars...

Donovan is blowing smoke and attempting to put fear in people they are save each town had a police dept and nothing would change, the county is so not in danger. It is an issue that needs to be dealt with and Donovan just does not want to lose her own power. The County Police do it all and much better, the sheriffs office should handle the jail and courts and NOTHING else. So a merger would not be a big deal. We are paying the county bill there is no reason why we shouldn't at least have a vote to see what people want. The lot of them espcially Donovan love to waste our money with lawsuits, you do understand everytime Donovan or a freeholder or County Clerk sues or gets sued WE are paying the bills not them!!!

Get rid of the County Cops they do nothing and cost us money

Yippee!!! more money for us lawyers and less money for you poor taxpayers.
We will be representing both sides and billing you an obscene amount of money that you have not got. Thank You Ms Donovan and her mentor Alan Marcus

What a joke....... Bergen County Executive Kathleen Donovan should realize she is standing in the way of progress... instead of saving tax payers some money... she wants to spend some more......... This is why Democrats are loosing their supporters.... enough is enough....... vote people like her and her supporters out of the office.......

I am a stickler. The OTSC, as verified by Mr. Kapusinski, Esq., is dated 2011. Tsk, tsk.

So what exactly does the County Police do, that the County Sheriff can't do, and vice versa. Consolidating them into 1 has got to be the smartest move anyone has done throughout the existence of both departments, and creating 2 separate entities has got to be the dumbest thing anyone has decided to do. I bet ya Donovan has her panties in a bunch because she gets extra money for both departments.

READ CAREFULLY.. IT SAYS DISSOLVE

The Bergen County Freeholders took the first steps Friday in disbanding the county’s police force and merging it with the sheriff’s office in a move that could be met with litigation from the county administration.

The freeholders voted to put a non-binding referendum on the November ballot asking the public’s opinion on having the sheriff's office absorb the county police department. In another move, the board voted to approve an ordinance dissolving the county police force.

If anyone thinks this "merger" will save money, you obviously know nothing about either politics or government. Have you looked at the essex county budget? Can you identify savings there?

You don't need an election vote on this...you've got it right here! The huge majority favors elimination...

The huge majority is uninformed, as is most of this country

Walter, do you have any proof this "merger" will save a dime? . What evidence can you bring to the table. The huge majority voted for Obama, how did that work out for you economically?

Okay. so you have revealed yourself as an Obamaite -an extremist. That's good to know. So you really have no evidence upon which to base your opinion on the county police and you hate Republicans. But you pretend to have something valuable to offer to this conversation,.

Deleted pay no mind to Walter, he's President of the International Uninformed Association

Well lets be honest there is a report telling us it will save money as well as a report telling us it will not from each sides expert. I voted for Donovan and think for the most part she has good ideas. What I do not like is Donovan thinks she needs to prove she has bigger brass ones then everyone else and she has ruined relationships within her own party including the an important one with the sheriff. Plus the fact she does not consider the monies and time wasted with lawsuits both for and against. This will and does distract from the good things Donovan has and will attempt to accomplish. Republicans have the Freeholders and she lost the vote, that speaks for itself!

The report have flaws, which some people don't want to recognize

Both sides have reports and both reports are possibly flawed, yes but just like an expert witness, each side will try and prove their own case. Who knows which side is right!!! One says yes it will save movey the other says it will not. But you mean to tell me we cannot use logic, two sets of K9 dogs, two sniper/swat , two bomb teams, two scuba teams, two partol teams etc etc etc...Logically that is a waste of funds for the County of Bergen. Personally I think the Sheriff should stick to the courts and jails and leave the rest to the County Police but who am I to say...

Legally, Donovan has no grounds whatsoever, to demand the continued existence of the Bergen County Police based on the legal thesis that the Board of Freeholders doesn't have the legal authority to merge the Bergen County Police into the Bergen County Sheriffs Department. They clearly do based on Bergen County's Charter and their articulated Constitutional Powers. Yet, Donovan unwisely spends taxpayer money in a law suit that I predict she will lose. The BCSD in fact, cannot be done away with because their existence is mandated by law; the Bergen County Police are not. In 1981 the Hudson County Police Department was disbanded and some were merged into the Hudson County Sheriffs Department while other officers went to municipalities. The merger can be done and should be done because the chief law enforcement officer of the county is the Sheriff. Merging the two departments provide for one Chief of Department instead of two, one radio room instead of two, one Emergency Services Unit, one Uniform Crime Reporting System instead of two, one administrative support system, one crime scene unit instead of two and those with specialties (heavy weapons training, Alcotester trained officers) will function in their specialties within the Bergen County Sheriffs Department. This will give us an effective 30% saving in taxpayer funds within the first 12 to 18 months. Ms. Donovan seems to have champagne tastes on a bologna budget; that's irresponsible.

Barry --your numbers are a complete fabrication. you have no proof for any of this. have you reviewed the sheriff's budget in Essex? Do you know what essex taxpayers pay for their sherrif's department. Hudson County? Are you kidding me. Do you know what they pay. You are a fountain of misinformation.

Regardless of what side wins the taxpayer will not see one penny of savings. This battle is about political power not about the taxpayer or public safety.

We taxpayers paid over $600,000 for an outside study (available online) which appears to be thorough and professional. While they offered the county several options, they all end with the County police functions being eliminated or absorbed by the Sheriff. Because it seems Ms Donovan hates the Sheriff, she appointed some friends to do another study which (surprise!) came to another conclusion.
Somehow, we have to make a start on curbing the crazy salaries and benefits we pay police in these peaceful little suburban towns. Eliminating the county force seems like a good place to start. Ms Donovan also needs to learn to play well with others or she'll be unemployed.

Marc D gets it... hurray. the rest of you don't. Frank... you are clueless. The study is deeply flawed. First off all, taxpayers didn't pay for it. It was paid for by forefitted funds seized by the Prosecutor's office. It was a study Dennis McNerney and the prosector cooked up. Secondly the study was done BEFORE towns were hit with a 2 percent budget cap, so if the county cops are eliminated, there is no backup. That means small town taxpayers have to pay out of their own pocket to hire more local cops. Frank, you just don't see what's happening. The crazy salaries and benefits you talk about are the result of state laws governing binding arbitration and public contracts that the Democrats refused to change for years. You need to wake up and do somework before you spout off about things you clearly know nothing about.

The Lawsuits continue from Fair Lawn thru Hackensack NJ as you can see the "pattern" continues!

Donovan and the bergen county police chiefs said cut.

Now they must cut

Frank unfortunately, you are wrong again. forfeiture funds belong to the prosecutor to use however he wants. Unless you are a criminal whose assets were seized the money is not yours.
The Prosecutor's role is defined by the state attorney general, NOT county government. The prosector reports to the state.

Pol, seriously are you that big of a bug eyed Donovan fan or just one of her minions? Listen we cannot continue too have two of everything, even the Bergen County policemen cannot stand to drive Donovan around and she is trying too keep their jobs!!! I voted for Donovan but her cost savings across the board and popularity is dwindling, and taxpayers care about senseless lawsuits that cost us money. All because no one wants too play nice in the sandbox. She may lose my vote come next election and many others as well...

I voted for Donovan and Saudino also, Donovan was the only one to hold up to her promises. Saudino said he would de politicize the sheriffs department. Instead he hired a bunch of hacks who continue to run beef stakes for him and being put into choice assignments.
I like Kathy Donovan, at least she has integrity.

There are just too many cops in Bergen. And now they've got cameras everywhere. I don't like it.

Avg Joe are upi kidding me? Check her staff she like everyone before her gave jobs in high places within the county to people who not only didnt deserve it but are far from qualified. It was payback for helping her get elected!!!

Obviously USA you haven't looked at the sheriff's top echelon and their salaries. Undersherriffs making about $ 1 million a year combined and a full time attorney well into the six figures. If you want others to do their homework USA1 you should do yours.

Listen Pol boy I was not debating the sheriff's spending habits at all. I am aware he is just another elected official, but so is Donovan and that was my point they both waste money and hire people that not only do not deserve the jobs but are grossly underqualified!

But what do your comments have to do with the topic: which is whether to disband the county police and create a larger sheriff's department? If the sheriff is as yousay, just another elected official, why would you want to give him more power and more manpower? Wouldn't that just end up costing us all more in the long run?

I was responding to AVG Joe's comment...So you believe that having two police forces in the county is cost effective? I personally would like the sheriffs office as I stated many times in this blog should control the courts and the jails and leave the expert police work to the Bergen County police. But since the sheriff's office has the upper hand and consititutionally his office has the right to have it all we as a county have to suffer and pay for it. And Donovan is just looking out for her self, she should have played nice with her running mate Rep sheriff and this might not be an issue!!! She was a fool when it came time to meet with him alone.

Aside from your obvious dislike of Donovan, you have nothing logical to bring to the argument.The sheriff's department does not have the upper hand constitutionally -- their duty is to provide court security and to act as jail guards. In some counties the sheriff does not even control the jail; the jail is controlled by an independent warden and a department of corrections. So, why not take the jail away from the sheriff? As for your other comment, how do you know what happened when they met alone? were you there? he's a big tough law enforcement guy, and are you telling me he is afraid of Kathleen Donovan? Don't you find this entire argument getting silly?

Ah you are one of Donovans minions. So let's be very clear I do not dislike Donovan as a whole, I voted for her but I dislike her constant litigous nature both for and against. It is a common problem across the board. First off who cares about other counties, we are in Bergen County and all that matters is what goes on here, correct? So if the sheriffs office does not have the upper hand in this matter why does Donovan have to sue? Why is it the sheriff, sad as it maybe, have have all the money he wants to spend on dupicating police services, K9's, scuba, bomb, swap, patrol ect.? Please take away the jail from the sheriff, that sir has nothing to do with the what is going on. I was adding my opinion on what the I think the sheriff's office should be responsable for that is all. I see I answer your questions and you do not answer mine? I know what happened because it was in the paper and both sides commented on why they did not meet. Donovan wanted her minion in the room and the sheriff wanted to meet alone and if she could not do that he would not meet her, now this is when the battle started don't you think? If I am not mistaken this is not an argument it is a spirited debate. Oh an it seems that Donovan has lost the freeholders and is losing this battle. I'd honestly hate to see the men and women of the county police lose their jobs but something needs to be done, we are wasting money.