Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Essex County approves yearlong operational review of Sheriff’s Office by Ambrose Group
Summary
The Board approved a contract for a full operational and staffing assessment of the Essex County Sheriff’s Office by the Ambrose Group, with the firm pledging preliminary findings within 100 days and a full yearlong review overall.
The Essex County Board of County Commissioners on a recorded vote approved hiring the Ambrose Group to conduct a full operational assessment of the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, including staffing and workload analyses.
Sheriff Jones, the newly elected sheriff, told commissioners the department had not had a full review in more than 30 years and requested an outside evaluation. Anthony Ambrose of the Ambrose Group said the firm will deliver a comprehensive staffing analysis, workload review and recommendations to the sheriff and his counsel, with “critical findings” expected within the first 100 days and the overall engagement lasting about one year.
The review will cover operations, internal affairs, community engagement, facilities, forfeiture and the property and evidence room, Ambrose said. Commissioners praised the effort as a routine management step when new leadership assumes control: “This is what good government and good management looks like,” Commissioner Richardson said.
Commissioner Mary Thomas asked whether the assessment would include community engagement; Ambrose said the report will be issued to the sheriff and his counsel and then made public at their discretion. Vice President Cooper asked for the project timeline; Ambrose confirmed the 100-day preliminary report and yearlong contract.
The board approved the related sheriff agenda items (contract awards and the operational assessment) in the same consent sequence. The vote was recorded with the commissioners present voting yes; two commissioners were noted as absent earlier in the meeting.
The county did not discuss contract cost details during the public presentation; commissioners asked only about scope and schedule. The sheriff’s office said any public release of the assessment will follow the sheriff’s internal review of the Ambrose Group’s findings.
The approval allows the sheriff to proceed with the contracted review and to receive the Ambrose Group’s recommendations for changes to staffing, operations and evidence handling that the firm identifies.
