Interlaken, New Jersey - police unit now run by prosecutor
Gun qualifications may be issue
Asbury Park Press on 05/26/07. By Nick Clunn
The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office has seized control of the borough Police Department after an investigation appeared to have found that some of its officers were not qualified to carry firearms.
The takeover means that the Prosecutor's Office is in charge of the department's day-to-day operations, including personnel. Authority changed hands Thursday, and was expected to last indefinitely, according to a Prosecutor's Office press release.
Borough officials have promised to cooperate, the release stated.
Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis A. Valentin said he was "confident that the public will be protected and served in a professional fashion" under the temporary arrangement.
The Police Department, which had five full-time officers and a chief as of October, keeps the peace in a Monmouth County borough that encompasses less than a half-square-mile and has a population of about 900.
Interlaken also employs Class II special officers, who are allowed to carry firearms but are not given all the responsibilities of a regular officer.
The investigation by the Professional Responsibility Unit of the Prosecutor's Office probed the "reliability, accuracy and integrity of the firearms qualifications" held by some Interlaken officers, according to the release.
It appeared that those officers were taken off patrol.
"We are working with those officers who are qualified to be in the department," Valentin said.
Prosecutor's Office Lt. Jason Clark was designated as the department's supervisor.
Notice of the takeover — referred to as a "supersession" in the release — was given to the mayor, the police chief and the borough administrator on Thursday.
The mayor several months ago was attempting to convince the adjacent village of Loch Arbour, which is even smaller than Interlaken in size and population, to use its police force instead of the one in Ocean Township.
Nick Clunn: (732) 643-4072 or nclunn@app.com
Asbury Park Press on 05/26/07. By Nick Clunn
The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office has seized control of the borough Police Department after an investigation appeared to have found that some of its officers were not qualified to carry firearms.
The takeover means that the Prosecutor's Office is in charge of the department's day-to-day operations, including personnel. Authority changed hands Thursday, and was expected to last indefinitely, according to a Prosecutor's Office press release.
Borough officials have promised to cooperate, the release stated.
Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis A. Valentin said he was "confident that the public will be protected and served in a professional fashion" under the temporary arrangement.
The Police Department, which had five full-time officers and a chief as of October, keeps the peace in a Monmouth County borough that encompasses less than a half-square-mile and has a population of about 900.
Interlaken also employs Class II special officers, who are allowed to carry firearms but are not given all the responsibilities of a regular officer.
The investigation by the Professional Responsibility Unit of the Prosecutor's Office probed the "reliability, accuracy and integrity of the firearms qualifications" held by some Interlaken officers, according to the release.
It appeared that those officers were taken off patrol.
"We are working with those officers who are qualified to be in the department," Valentin said.
Prosecutor's Office Lt. Jason Clark was designated as the department's supervisor.
Notice of the takeover — referred to as a "supersession" in the release — was given to the mayor, the police chief and the borough administrator on Thursday.
The mayor several months ago was attempting to convince the adjacent village of Loch Arbour, which is even smaller than Interlaken in size and population, to use its police force instead of the one in Ocean Township.
Nick Clunn: (732) 643-4072 or nclunn@app.com