Police Demotion, Layoff Notices Issued Thursday

Collingswood officially issued demotion and layoff notices to superior officers in the police department Thursday, said police union representatives.

Collingswood Police Department's two Fraternal Order of Police unions—the Patrolmen's Union and the Superiors Union—have been negotiating new contracts with the borough for months. Both have worked under expired contracts since Dec. 31, 2010.

Commissioners reported that the borough could not afford the police unions' initial request for a 4 percent annual raise. In a four-month negotiating period, borough officials said police unions decreased the request to 3.5 percent.

But 3.5 percent increases are still too steep.

During the April 4 commission meeting, Mayor James Maley announced that police demotions and layoffs will occur if no contractual agreement can be reached by May 9. Now, with the date looming just 10 days away, the borough has issued those notices.

"We are still attempting to resolve it (via contract negotiations), and will know absolutely where it stands by early next week," Patrolmen's Union Representative and Collingswood Det. Frank Lee said Thursday. "The layoff and demotion notices were officially given out today."

The demotions and layoffs were announced during Collingswood Borough Commission's April 4 meeting, as part of an ordinance amendment.

"This ordinance restructures the superior level of the police department," said Collingswood Mayor James Maley at the meeting. "(The borough will be issuing) two layoff notices to officers and demotion notices for virtually every superior officer (in the police department)."

According to Maley, demotions would shift the department's hierarchy completely, unless an agreement is made.

"The borough would like to get the same agreement (from police unions) as we had with fire (unions)," said Maley, citing zero percent increases the borough's . "But if (police don't agree to similar contracts), we'll have to demote our two police lieutenants to sergeants positions, and the two platoon sergeants and detective sergeants will be demoted to patrol-level."

The changes would add three officers to Collingswood's current street patrol, and eliminate all lieutenant positions from the department. Sergeants would report directly to Collingswood Chief of Police Richard Sarlo, instead of lieutenants.

Maley said in April that layoffs wouldn't be effective until May 10.

"Forming a contract could avoid all this," he said.

The demotions, Maley said, are a necessary part of keeping the borough's proposed municipal budget in line.

According to Maley, police layoffs and demotions would save the borough $175,000.

The May 9 contract agreement deadline is also the date of the next borough commission meeting.

Maley was unable to be reached for comment Thursday afternoon.

Read Collingswood Patch's initial story about , written after commissioners' announcement April 4.