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Council appoints Captain Robert Wacht officer in charge pending police chief transition
Summary
The mayor and council read and adopted a resolution designating Captain Robert Wacht as officer in charge of the Old Tappan Police Department effective with Chief Joseph Tracy’s retirement; council discussed timing of chief interviews and potential short gaps between tenures.
The council read a resolution appointing Captain Robert Wacht as officer in charge of the Old Tappan Police Department to serve between Chief Joseph Tracy’s retirement and the appointment of a successor. The resolution text in the record lists the officer-in-charge designation effective upon Chief Tracy’s retirement; council members said the action was necessary so the department would have an official designate with authority to sign permits and exercise duties that require formal appointment.
Councilors discussed scheduling for police chief interviews, with outside interviewers tentatively scheduled around mid-December and a best-case appointment date of Dec. 18. Members raised the possibility of a short administrative gap (between Jan. 1 and Jan. 5) if a successor were not sworn in before the reorganization meeting; legal staff said in absence of an appointed chief the most senior sergeant would serve by default, but recommended the explicit appointment to avoid operational uncertainty. The council adopted the resolution by roll call vote at the meeting.
