Mahwah April 17, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 5 Police overtime debate becomes political issue by Frank J. McMahon The debate at recent Mahwah Council meetings about the cost of police overtime in 2012 has become political, with two Mahwah Republican Club officers voicing their concerns at the last public meeting. Tracy Miceli of Indian Hollow Court and Bob Lockwood of Homespun Court, who are the president and secretary, respectively, of the Mahwah Republican Club, questioned the council about the police overtime budget and who authorized that overtime. Miceli praised the township’s police department, but said the overtime expense was disturbing to her because, if it were eliminated, that money would have been revenue for the township. “I expect overtime when it is necessary due to the weather or a disaster or a drug arrest, but not when we don’t have to,” Miceli said. “That should have been all revenue. This is deeply disturbing.” Miceli also questioned why there is overtime for ticket writing. She said policing the roads is in the police job description, and ticket writing is part of law enforcement. Councilman John Spiech countered, saying, “Don’t blame the police officers because somebody sent them (to court). They were there and spent time and should be paid.” Councilman Roy Larson also pointed out to Miceli that the prosecutor had advised the council that if police overtime is reduced, the township would see a decrease in the number of summonses written by police “because that is human nature.” Mahwah Township Administrator Brian Campion added that the revenue for traffic summonses in 2010 and 2011 was significantly lower after the police were no longer required to attend court on Tuesday nights. In response Miceli said, “As a resident, I find that disturbing.” Lockwood also told the council he was disappointed to learn that the overtime money that was spent was unnecessary and that no one in the administration took responsibility for it. He asked how the police department exceeded its overtime budget. “Are there not budgetary controls?” he asked. Campion advised Lockwood that the court overtime is tracked on a monthly basis by himself and the township’s chief financial officer and the council receives a full report every quarter in accordance with the township’s best management practices. He also explained that the overtime cost was not just for the court time, but also for the police response to Hurricane Sandy. “When the overtime money was exhausted, we came to the council,” Campion explained, “and the council approved the addition of money to the police overtime line item.” Spiech took responsibility for approving the additional money for the police overtime. “I have to take the blame,” the councilman said. “We approved that increase in the overtime in the budget, but it was based on the fact that they (the police) had to be there so the authority came from here.” Spiech explained that, while the police overtime cost increased last year, the revenue side of the police budget also increased. Since the council often makes transfers in the budget during the year, the council approved this budget transfer to cover the shortage in the police overtime line item. (continued on page 23)