In a memo to Chamberlain, Kugler noted that she told him at a meeting yesterday that the Nov. 14 order “ONLY pertains to the Chief’s Chat initiative and not to any and all news media inquiries or responses the police department or I may participate in.”
Those attending the meeting included Township Attorney Deborah Gross-Quatrone, Acting Business Administrator Peter LoDico and the mayor’s administrative secretary, Wanda Santiago.
“With respect to the Chief’s Chat initiative, and as explained in my memorandum to you dated November 21, 2011, I look forward to your better understanding and support of its pro-active and positive effect for the police department and community,” Kugler added in his memo to the mayor, a copy of which was sent to Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli.
“Should you have any questions or want any additional information pertaining to the Chief’s Chat program initiative, please feel free to contact me at any time,” the chief added.
The mayor is leaving the decision of whether to allow “Chief’s Chat” to the council after Kugler addresses the governing body at a scheduled Dec. 29 meeting.
Chamberlain’s order, as it’s written, stirred the ire of the New Jersey State Police Chiefs Association, among others.
“We have a problem with this. This order is illegal,” Raymond Hayducka, the first vice-president of the association told CLIFFVIEW PILOT last week. “We have a statutory obligation to give the media timely information.
“Chief Kugler is one of the most respected police chiefs in the entire state,” Hayducka said. “He trained me and many other chiefs to foster relationships with the media, work with the media to make our communities safer and to give the media what it is legally required to have.”
Molinelli already has cautioned that “to require prior approval before a Chief releases information that might be required of him under Executive Order 69 might not be appropriate as it might serve to defeat the intent of Executive Order 69 and probably runs afoul of our Court’s proscriptions in the SHORE V PARAMUS BOROUGH case.”
In that case, the courts found that Paramus violated the order by having the borough clerk running all public-records requests through the municipal attorney first.
Hayducka, who is the South Brunswick police chief, refused to address the question when it was raised, but nearly eight years ago then-Mayor Louis D’Arminio terminated Chamberlain’s daughter from the Saddle Brook Police Department after determining she was unfit for duty.
However, a state Administrative Law judge later determined that the officer, Kimberly Perrelli, should be considered retired instead of fired, restoring her pension eligibility. Perrelli dropped sexual harassment charges she had lodged against Kugler and others.
Kugler, in cooperation and collaboration with Saddle Brook Creative TV (SBCreativeTV.com), said he’s been trying to “leverage all the possibilities the Internet has to offer to interact” with citizens.
Now left in limbo, “Chief’s Chat” promised live call-in and text chat during which residents could ask questions. Kugler said he hoped to provide “interesting and informative discussions covering a wide range of topics in law enforcement and of benefit and interest to the community and general public.”
Chamberlain’s directive invoked the “Faulner Act” – actually the Faulkner Act – which she said gave her authority to order him to “immediately cease and desist all plans and/or communications with regard to your ‘Chief’s Chat’ … and that no further communications be issued from your department; in all media form, including but not limited to, all communications through newspaper, television, internet, e-mail and the like unless and until I, the Mayor and the Acting Township Business Administrator have approved such action.
“Further, be advised that the Mayor and the Acting Township Business Administrator shall be notified when any and all news media, not limited to technological communications, contact the department prior to any response by your or your designee.”
The two have a long and acrimonious history.
In a previous stint as mayor 10 years ago, Chamberlain directly promoted officers without telling Kugler.
D’Arminio — a former Hackensack detective sergeant who went on to become mayor himself — later insisted Chamberlain remove herself from all police business. She refused.
D’Arminio said he made the request as a response to Perrelli’s lawsuit but also because Chamberlain had clashed so often with Kugler.
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