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The group is made of corrections officers who otherwise would have been laid off, said Berdnik, who’d promised there’d be no job losses once the jail is closed.
The sheriff plans to swear them to their new positions at his Wayne headquarters on Thursday, March 31.
The move “expands the number of officers deployed throughout Passaic County,” he said.
The officers will be on foot, in parks and in vehicles, targeting crime-prone “hot spots” in the county, said Berdnik, who said he also has plans to revamp some of his specialized units.
It comes at a critical time. Crime is rising throughout the country. Violent crime, in particular, is escalating in Paterson. Repeat offenders taking advantage of New Jersey's bail reform law are becoming more dangerous.
With more officers on the street, “we will be able to help fight crime and keep our residents safe,” the sheriff said.
Bail reform is one of the key reasons why the half-empty, crumbling Passaic County Jail is sending all of its current and future inmates to Bergen County's lockup, officials said.
Millions that would’ve been spent to replace the decrepit 164-year-old lockup on Marshall Street will be saved – and the community at large will have more protection, they said.
The regionalization deal was made as bail reform continues to reduce the number of inmates in New Jersey jails and prisons.
Berdnik said he will still maintain a hub at the jail for processing and transporting inmates.
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