Freeholders Eye County Cop Department, Despite Opposition

Four of the seven Morris County Freeholders face plenty of opposition at the governing body’s most recent meeting, when residents implored them to “tread lightly” regarding a study on creating a county-wide police force.

According to dailyrecord.com, Freeholders Tom Mastrangelo, David Cabana, David Scapicchio, and Kathy DeFillippo are in favor of commissioning a study that would create a county police force, melding the Park Police into it.

Police chiefs from outside Morris County are on the study team, the report said, and are looking to analyze a county police department that would supplement 38 municipal police forces from patrolling roads to conducting truck weight inspections and continue the Park Police’s duties, the report said.

But residents and elected officials alike expressed their distain for the study, including Harding Township Mayor Nicholas Platt, who, according to the report, said he believe the 31-member Park Police department should remain in tact.

Three freeholders opposing the study cited cost and too much government involvement as the reasons behind their dissenting votes.