Dear Editor:
I am writing this letter to assist in the clarification of issues that have arisen recently concerning security and safety for my members and all persons at the Hudson County Department of Family Services. I am, the president of AFSCME Local 2306 and we represent 500 plus employees within the department. First and foremost I must state that I am in complete agreement with the concepts of security and safety in our offices and certainly appreciate the concept of a safe workplace.
On September 12, 2012 I was taken into custody by the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office concerning an issue of mismanaged communications by that office, in fact there is and has been a general mismanagement of operations by that office. I was attempting to explain to the union membership that there was to be a discussion of the inconsistency of security procedures taken by the sheriff’s office when in fact I was falsely accused of interfering with a government operation.
On September 10, 2012 there was a suspicious package outside the Hudson County Plaza and law enforcement was called to investigate. Some of the floors at County Plaza were evacuated by the sheriff’s office and others were not, again the issue of lack of communications by that office.
On July 30, 2012 a social worker, while attempting to perform her duties was brutally beaten by a welfare recipient. The security guard that was supposed to be on the post near the office of the attack was not at the post. When this attack occurred two sheriff’s officers were dispatched, to arrest me as the union president the total number of five officers were sent, unbelievable!
It is to be noted that when Juan M. Perez was the Sheriff of Hudson County there were open lines of communication, security personnel were on their posts as there was proper supervision and security of the building was on point. Since January, 2011 there is and has been a lack of proper command supervision.
Sincerely,
Frances Cintron, President, AFSCME Local 2306