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Donovan, in turn, accused Saudino and the county Board of Freeholders of “slipped the resolution onto the agenda at the last minute without asking even one question” and then agreed to “allow these tanks on our streets.”
Saudino held the first of dueling news conferences in Hackensack this morning, saying that “the recent remarks made by the county executive are yet another example of her putting politics over public safety.
“If she truly believes that armored vehicles have no place on the streets of Bergen County, she would immediately cease the use of the armored vehicles currently in use by the Bergen County Police, a department she oversees.
“It would be hypocritical for her to not do so.”
Saudino then called on Donovan to release the county police’s SOP for use of their armored vehicles.
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SEE: FULL TEXTS OF BOTH STATEMENTS BELOW
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Donovan didn’t respond directly to the sheriff, other than to say that the military vehicles currently being used are for “civilian policing.”
She called for a moratorium on the purchase of all military equipment by the county “until a full review can be done.”
“The militarization of local and county law enforcement must stop…and stop now,” Donovan said, during her news conference. “These 50,000-lb. tank-like armored vehicles have no place on our streets and in our towns.”
“On June 4th, the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders, chaired by David Ganz, slipped through the resolution on approving these 50,000 lb. tank-like armored vehicles,” she said. “This resolution bypassed my office, unlike every other resolution by every department and agency. It appeared on a late list handed out at the start of the June 4th work session.
“Not one question was asked by any member of the Board of Chosen Freeholders. Not one!” she added. “No questions on the cost of up keep and operations, safety, use and training. Not a question on the larger social issues that the deployment of this vehicle opens up.
“It is critical that we not rush down this road and we allow our citizens, who we represent, to have a say.”
Images of heavily armed police in armored trucks dealing with the street violence in Ferguson, Missouri following a police shooting stirred controversy over the government program that has supplied more than $5 billion dollars worth of military equipment to local police departments.
Saudino last month approved acquiring two MRAPs — mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles – amid criticism by Donovan that they represent an inappropriate and dangerous militarization of law enforcement.
The sheriff said his office will use the vehicles, due in from Colorado next month, for SWAT operations, transporting high-risk prisoners, serving high-risk warrants and dealing with natural disasters, including high-water rescues. He noted that one truck would replace an armored vehicle that has long since been retired and the other would be used for parts.
The trucks have no weapons systems of offensive capabilities, the sheriff emphasized. They’re designed “for one simple purpose: to protect the occupants of the truck,” he said.
Saudino cited a recent incident in Mission, Texas, where an MRAP was used to rescue three officers pinned down in a gunfight with a man armed with an AK-47.
The vehicle was struck more than two dozen times, yet no one in law enforcement was injured, he said.
President Obama ordered the federal review to determine whether the programs are appropriate, whether local police have the necessary training to use the equipment and whether the federal government is auditing that use.
Meanwhile, New Jersey Attorney General John J. Hoffman requested all records so that he can assess the program’s operation — although he said that he hadn’t received any criticism of how the equipment is being used here.
Gov. Christie, meanwhile, said those politicians complaining about the gear are merely trying to get themselves noticed.
Saudino said he was “in full compliance” with any reviews of the program.
At the same time, he said the “blatant manner” with which Donovan has politicized the issue “goes against the best interests of the safety of the residents and law enforcement personnel of Bergen County.”
“The Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, in light of the events in Missouri, and prior to accepting delivery of these vehicles, has worked diligently to draft Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to ensure that these vehicles will be deployed properly,” Saudino said. “In drafting these SOPs, we have worked collaboratively with community leaders such as Anthony Cureton, president of the Bergen County NAACP.
“Throughout my more than 40 years in law enforcement, I have upheld my sworn duty to protect the public, as well as the men and women under my command,” the sheriff said. “I have always vowed that I would never compromise public or officer safety.”
The federal government has reportedly provided 610 MRAPs, across the U.S., nearly all over the past year, as the country’s longest wartime period in history comes to a close.
Besides the armored vehicles, local, state and county police agencies nationwide have obtained automatic rifles, grenade launchers and night-vision bincoculars through the Defense Logistics Agency.
New Jersey has received more than $31 million worth of equipment since it began participating in the 1033 program in 2006, much of it in the past two years, state officials said.
Local police have needed the equipment to assist in counterterrorism, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said. However, he added: “[D]isplays of force in response to mostly peaceful demonstrations can be counterproductive.”
“It makes sense to take a look at whether military-style equipment is being acquired for the right purposes and whether there is proper training on when and how to deploy it,” Holder said.
Hoffman agreed — as did Saudino.
“I take my duty to work cooperatively with all law enforcement very seriously,” the sheriff said. “The Acting State Attorney General of New Jersey, John J. Hoffman, has clearly recognized that the deployment of these vehicles has saved lives. Nevertheless, he is undergoing a review of how these vehicles are deployed, and I maintain that duty to cooperate.
“I remain committed to working cooperatively with all law enforcement agencies for the betterment of the community. We look forward to the completion of the Attorney General reviews.”
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TEXT OF SAUDINO STATEMENT:
I am here to announce that I have delayed the deployment of an armored vehicle that the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office has been approved for until the completion of a review of the 1033 Surplus Property program by both the Attorney General of the United States and the State of New Jersey.
While this Office will certainly cooperate with the review, we believe the blatant manner in which County Executive Kathleen Donovan has decided to politicize this issue goes against the best interests of the safety of the residents and law enforcement personnel of Bergen County.
The recent remarks made by the County Executive are yet another example of her putting politics over public safety.
If she truly believes that armored vehicles have no place on the streets of Bergen County, she would immediately cease the use of the armored vehicles currently in use by the Bergen County Police, a department she oversees. It would be hypocritical for her to not do so.
So long as she continues to keep those armored vehicles on the streets, we demand that she share the services of those armored vehicles to ensure that the lives of the men and women of all law enforcement agencies in Bergen County are valued equally.
Particularly, the regional swat team participants which currently includes the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, East Rutherford, Carlstadt, Woodridge, Hasbrouck Heights, Little Ferry, Hackensack, Bogota, Maywood, Westwood and Closter Police Departments.
Throughout my more than 40 years in law enforcement, I have upheld my sworn duty to protect the public, as well as the men and women under my command. I have always vowed that I would never compromise public or officer safety.
I also take my duty to work cooperatively with all law enforcement very seriously. The Acting State Attorney General of New Jersey, John J. Hoffman, has clearly recognized that the deployment of these vehicles has saved lives. Nevertheless, he is undergoing a review of how these vehicles are deployed, and I maintain that duty to cooperate.
Our Office, in light of the events in Missouri, and prior to accepting delivery of these vehicles, has worked diligently to draft Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to ensure that these vehicles will be deployed properly.
In drafting these SOPs, we have worked together with community leaders such as Anthony Cureton, President of the Bergen County NAACP.
In the name of transparency, we call upon the County Executive to cooperate with the Attorney General’s review by heeding Freeholder Board Chairman David Ganz’s request to publicly release the County Police’s Standard Operating Procedures for the use of their armored vehicles.
It is unequivocal that the County Police vehicles, according to manufacturer LENCO, are in fact, military vehicles. Any other assertion is a lie.
I remain committed to working cooperatively with all law enforcement agencies for the betterment of the community. We look forward to the completion of the Attorney General reviews.
TEXT OF DONOVAN STATEMENT:
Today I am asking the Board of Chosen Freeholders to put partisan politics aside and join with me and agree to put in place a moratorium on obtaining military war surplus or military combat vehicles for use on our Bergen County streets.
The militarization of local and county law enforcement must stop…and stop now.
In April, the Bergen County Sheriff submitted a resolution to my office for the acquisition of two MRAP (mine-resistant, ambush-protected) armored vehicles. As you can imagine, when the issue of deploying these 50,000 lb. tank-like armored vehicles here in Bergen came to my attention back in April, I had many questions on these vehicles.
My questions focused on the fiscal and social ramifications of these tanks as well as to what use these vehicles would be put, here on the streets of Bergen County.
This is in stark comparison to the vehicles already in use here in Bergen County that are designed for a civilian policing.
That is my job as County Executive, to raise those questions. The Freeholders and Sheriff violated the Administrative Code and improperly bypassed my office, slipped the resolution onto the agenda at the last minute without asking even one question, passed the resolution to allow these tanks on our streets.
This is where these seven members of the Freeholder Board get to debate the issue and most importantly you, the public, get to comment.
On June 4th, the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders, chaired by David Ganz, slipped through the resolution on approving these 50,000 lb. tank-like armored vehicles. This resolution bypassed my office, unlike every other resolution by every department and agency. It appeared on a late list handed out at the start of the June 4th work session.
Not one question was asked by any member of the Board of Chosen Freeholders. Not one! No questions on the cost of up keep and operations, safety, use and training. Not a question on the larger social issues that the deployment of this vehicle opens up.
At the end of the day, it is my job as county executive to represent the taxpayers, families, seniors and young adults here in Bergen County.
The Sheriff and Freeholders want to deploy these combat vehicles to carry out civilian police functions in our communities. I strongly disagree. These 50,000 lb. tank-like armored vehicles have no place on our streets and in our towns. The Freeholder Board should never have slipped an important issue on a last minute agenda.
The debate on the militarization has become a national one. Is this the road we want to travel down?
In light of recent announcements of the review of the Pentagon’s Excess Property Program, sometimes known as the 1033 Program, by President Obama and many members of Congress; as well as calls from the New Jersey Attorney General to slow down the acquisition of this equipment, I am calling on the Freeholder Board to start fresh with me in placing a moratorium on the acquisition of military equipment here in Bergen County until a full review can be done.
It is critical that we not rush down this road and we allow our citizens, who we represent, to have a say. I also call on the Freeholders to join the debate and share with the public why they feel that equipment such as an MRAP belong on the streets in our towns.
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