URGENT PLEASE READ
~PBA local 368 in critical condition~
Members of PBA Local 368 have noticed an increasing amount of questions from members of the community regarding the current status or whereabouts of former members of STRPD.
To answer these questions for our residents, we have to explain that we experience high turnover rate at STRPD. Specifically, we have lost 9 officers within the last 4 years to other police departments. 5 of these 9 officers being full-time police officers.
In addition to these 9 officers who already left STRPD, an additional 3 current full-time police officers are in the process of seeking employment with a different department. There is a strong possibility these 3 additional full-time officers will no longer be members of STRPD by the end of 2022.
When these 12 officers have been asked why they left STRPD or plan on leaving, the singular unanimous reason has been stated to be the disparity of salary of a STRPD police officer compared to other local and statewide departments.
The South Toms River Police Department currently offers the SECOND lowest paying starting salary for a police officer, and the THIRD lowest top pay salary for a police officer out of the THIRTY FOUR police departments in Ocean County alone.
Members of PBA Local 368 will soon have to stand against the Borough of South Toms River in arbitration to fight for competitive wages for its police officers. Arbitration is set to cost the borough and it’s tax payers thousands of dollars in expenses.
The hope of PBA Local 368 is to start earning fair and competitive wages for its members. This result would end the revolving door of police officers at STRPD and put a stop to investing thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of training into police officers who ultimately end up leaving STRPD for a better salary with a different department. STRPD wants to retain its experienced officers to provide the best quality of services for the residents of Borough of South Toms River.
-PBA Local #368
It’s a shame that the town has treated their officers so poorly for so long.
Where is the Borough of South Toms River placing the money from the town budget? Certainly not towards the officers!
Shame on every single one of the council members, Mayor Hendshy, Samuel Fennell, Robert Taylor, Thomas Rolzhausen, Tanya Mosley, Edward Murray and Joe Kostecki for not putting money towards the police department.
These men and women work VERY long days and often get forced to work upwards of 60 hours a week due to forced overtime from the lack of officers in the department. According to the Civil Service Commission, the starting salary for Patrol is $35,000 which is roughly $16.50 an hour for someone is who putting their LIFE on the line. This salary compared to neighboring jurisdictions (making upwards of $60,000 starting) is unacceptable. The salary they make is NOT enough to live off of and these hardworking men and women deserve to live without worrying if they’re able to provide for their families.
For “a little town with a big heart” you certainly don’t have enough heart to care about your police officers.
It’s a shame that the town has treated their officers so poorly for so long.
Where is the Borough of South Toms River placing the money from the town budget? Certainly not towards the officers!
Shame on every single one of the council members, Mayor Hendshy, Samuel Fennell, Robert Taylor, Thomas Rolzhausen, Tanya Mosley, Edward Murray and Joe Kostecki for not putting money towards the police department.
These men and women work VERY long days and often get forced to work upwards of 60 hours a week due to forced overtime from the lack of officers in the department. According to the Civil Service Commission, the starting salary for Patrol is $35,000 which is roughly $16.50 an hour for someone is who putting their LIFE on the line. This salary compared to neighboring jurisdictions (making upwards of $60,000 starting) is unacceptable. The salary they make is NOT enough to live off of and these hardworking men and women deserve to live without worrying if they’re able to provide for their families.
For “a little town with a big heart” you certainly don’t have enough heart to care about your police officers.
It’s a shame that the town has treated their officers so poorly for so long.
Where is the Borough of South Toms River placing the money from the town budget? Certainly not towards the officers!
Shame on every single one of the council members, Mayor Hendshy, Samuel Fennell, Robert Taylor, Thomas Rolzhausen, Tanya Mosley, Edward Murray and Joe Kostecki for not putting money towards the police department.
These men and women work VERY long days and often get forced to work upwards of 60 hours a week due to forced overtime from the lack of officers in the department. According to the Civil Service Commission, the starting salary for Patrol is $35,000 which is roughly $16.50 an hour for someone is who putting their LIFE on the line. This salary compared to neighboring jurisdictions (making upwards of $60,000 starting) is unacceptable. The salary they make is NOT enough to live off of and these hardworking men and women deserve to live without worrying if they’re able to provide for their families.
For “a little town with a big heart” you certainly don’t have enough heart to care about your police officers.
It’s a shame that the town has treated their officers so poorly for so long.
Where is the Borough of South Toms River placing the money from the town budget? Certainly not towards the officers!
Shame on every single one of the council members, Mayor Hendshy, Samuel Fennell, Robert Taylor, Thomas Rolzhausen, Tanya Mosley, Edward Murray and Joe Kostecki for not putting money towards the police department.
These men and women work VERY long days and often get forced to work upwards of 60 hours a week due to forced overtime from the lack of officers in the department. According to the Civil Service Commission, the starting salary for Patrol is $35,000 which is roughly $16.50 an hour for someone is who putting their LIFE on the line. This salary compared to neighboring jurisdictions (making upwards of $60,000 starting) is unacceptable. The salary they make is NOT enough to live off of and these hardworking men and women deserve to live without worrying if they’re able to provide for their families.
For “a little town with a big heart” you certainly don’t have enough heart to care about your police officers.
Perhaps the tax base is not large enough to maintain their own Police force. The costs of salaries, insurance, equipment, benifits, etc must be astronomical? Maybe combining the services with one of the adjoining towns might be a better idea? Perhaps Toms River or Berkeley might be able to provide these services at a better cost to residents? Just a thought?