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Wildwood Crest police chief proposes three full-time hires to reduce reliance on seasonal 'Class 2' officers; residents raise cost and process concerns
Summary
Police Chief presented a plan to add three full-time officers to reduce dependence on seasonal Class 2 officers, citing training and retention problems; residents and commissioners pressed for detailed cost estimates and methodology, and the CFO gave a rough immediate taxpayer impact estimate.
The police chief told the governing body that the Wildwood Crest Police Department currently employs 28 full-time officers and used seven Class 2 seasonal officers this year. He outlined the differences in training between full-time officers (a 22-week academy) and Class 2 seasonal officers (an abbreviated academy) and recommended adding three full-time officers to reduce reliance on the seasonal program and lower overtime and supervisory training burdens.
"What we're looking to do is bring in 3 more full time officers to eliminate our need to for the use of the class 2 program," the chief said, arguing full-time officers provide greater continuity, training and availability during shoulder-season events such as Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends.
Residents at the meeting pushed back on the fiscal implications. Public commenter Mike Marina told commissioners he had prepared a five-year projection showing about $500,000 in added cost and a 62% increase in spending related to the proposal and urged the governing body to consider taxpayer impact before approving changes. "It was a half million dollars over 5 years, and it was a 62% increase in spend," Marina said.
Commissioners asked the chief whether the staffing number was based on a per-capita methodology or national guidance; the chief said the department relies on call volume and response-time needs rather than a formal per-capita algorithm. When a commissioner asked about taxpayer cost, the CFO (Francine) provided a high-level estimate, saying the immediate impact would be "about a penny" on taxes and "a little over a penny" in the following year; the CFO did not provide detailed line-item numbers during the meeting.
The chief warned the borough may be paying more for lower-quality candidates through the Class 2 program as hourly rates rise and applicant pools shrink. He said supervisors currently spend substantial time training and supervising seasonal officers, which reduces available supervisory capacity for other duties. "The hourly rate for class 2 officers has increased more in the last 4 years than it did in the previous 20," he said, adding that candidate quality and retention have declined.
The chair directed commissioners, the CFO and the chief to meet separately to review the documents and cost analyses before making a decision. No ordinance or appropriation to add staff was adopted at the meeting; the proposal remains at the review stage.
