North Haledon promotes detective, appoints two probationary officers and cites school safety

Mayor Randy George opened the July 20 work session by reading the Open Public Meetings Act statement and then the council moved to deviate from the regular order of business to consider personnel actions. Council Member Bruce O. Iacobelli moved the deviation and the personnel motion; Council Member Donna Puglisi seconded. Upon roll call, all members present voted in the affirmative (six yes, one excused).

The motion promoted Detective Sergeant Anthony Padula to Detective Lieutenant and appointed Lacey Morrison and Brandon Chmiel as probationary police officers. Police Commissioner Donna Puglisi administered the oaths of office. The minutes record that Padula will remain assigned to the Detective Bureau and that his father had also served as a lieutenant in the North Haledon Police Department.

Mayor Randy George described public-safety work as the borough's "most important responsibility" and said students' safety "is a paramount job," noting that safety measures implemented in recent years include placing police officers in the borough's two local schools and the two private schools in town. Lucy De Nova, identified in the minutes as president of the local school board, thanked the borough for collaboration among the school administration, the police department and the governing body; Mayor George also praised Superintendent Nick Coffaro by name.

The appointments and promotion were made by motion and approved by roll-call vote at the July 20 work session. The minutes for this meeting were later approved at the council meeting on August 17, 2022. The meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m.