Former Rutherford Police Captain John Thompson was appointed to be the borough’s new civilian police director at last week’s mayor and council meeting. Council members Joe Sommer, John Genovesi and Rose Inguanti voted in favor of the appointment. Maura Keyes voted against and John Sasso abstained. George Fecanin was absent.

Thompson, a resident of Rutherford since 1984, served in the Rutherford Police Department for 28 years before retiring at the end of 2001. He had been the captain in charge of the detective bureau for six years when he retired.

"I welcome the opportunity," he said. "There’s a bunch of great men and women over there all the way to the top." When asked about the many objections to the civilian position raised by officers since it was first proposed in January, Thompson responded, "It’s understandable. I respect their opinions." He said he plans first to meet with current Captains George Egbert and Joseph Merli and subsequently with the entire department upon starting in the new position.

The position pays $82,000 per year with no benefits. As a retired captain, Thompson already receives $98,292 per year from his pension as well as health benefits. Mayor John Hipp said there is no conflict between Thompson’s retirement agreement with the borough and his employment as director since he won’t be receiving health benefits and won’t be re-entered into the pension system.

When asked why he abstained from the vote, Sasso responded, "Because nobody communicates… I don’t even know who John Thompson is." Sasso said there hadn’t been sufficient communication among the council about Thompson or other possible candidates for director. "We spent two months debating about a police chief and we spent five minutes deciding on a police director… I didn’t abstain against [Thompson], I abstained against this," he said, gesturing to the dais.

At the April 29 meeting, Hipp said Thompson was recommended to him by Inguanti and Genovesi. Inguanti clarified that she had helped look over eight resumes with Genovesi. Together they singled out Thompson’s and two other resumes to suggest to Hipp.

Keyes said she voted against Thompson’s appointment because she opposes the position itself. In previous months she was a vocal critic of a civilian director position and she voted against the first and second readings of the ordinances that established the position.

"It’s a political appointment. It’s another way of saying ‘Thanks for the vote,’" said Keyes. "The mayor never discussed with anybody who he wanted to appoint… No one ever came to us with three or four names to look at."

"If we had to have a police director, I can think of no one I would have wanted more than John Thompson," said Egbert who has served as acting chief since he returned from sick leave in January. "He was an exemplary officer and leader and he’s got an impeccable track record… I’d say the majority of the department is very happy with [the decision to appoint Thompson]."

"We’re moving on," said Egbert.

The movement to create the position came under fire from several vocal members of the Rutherford Police Department as well as members of the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police (NJSACP). The final vote on the ordinances doing away with the police chief and establishing a director were 3-3 ties broken by Hipp. Police and the opposing council members argued that the decision would hurt morale and muddle the chain of command. The council decided that the effectiveness of the position would be evaluated after a period of two years.