JERSEY CITY – Effective at midnight, seven civilian employees in the Jersey City Police Department were laid off in an effort to save more than $276,000.
According to Jennifer Morrill, spokeswoman for Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy, five civilian employees assigned to the city’s Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) neighborhood watch program “were laid off in reverse order of seniority,” per requirements of he state Civil Service Commission.
Two managers, a deputy police director and the director of the police academy, were also officially let go as of midnight.
The layoffs are part of Jersey City’s ongoing budget cuts to plug an $80 million budget deficit.
These terminations have received less fanfare than the proposed layoffs of 82 police officers – layoffs that were averted last month when the city and the Police Officers Benevolent Association, the local police union, hammered out a labor deal that will save $3.4 million this year. The Jersey City Council approved the contract amendment on Feb. 9.
To save additional money, the city has also proposed the demotion of 12 senior police personnel. The Healy administration continues to negotiate with the Police Superior Officers Association to reach an agreement regarding these officers.
Morrill said the director of the police academy had been earning $67,000 annually. The deputy police director had a salary of $79,000 and each of the CCTV employees who were let go earned $26,000. These figures do not include health care costs and other benefits for the employees received. – E. Assata Wright
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