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Paterson school district suspends its powerful chief of security | Paterson Times

Paterson school district suspends its powerful chief of security

james-smith

The school district has suspended its head of security on Wednesday, according to district sources.

Former police captain James Smith was suspended pending an investigation. He had been in charge of security and investigation of employees accused of misconduct in the district.

Paul Brubaker, spokesman for superintendent Eileen Shafer, declined to comment citing a personnel matter, on Wednesday.

Smith’s downfall began after an investigation into school board member Emanuel Capers’ trip to Arizona which was paid for by a firm seeking district business.

Some school board members said they were not aware of the circumstances that led to Smith’s suspension. School board president Oshin Castillo could not immediately be reached for comments.

Smith had been working for the school district for 16 years. He could not be reached for comments for this report.

Smith sent his investigation report into Capers’ trip to both county and state education officials. After both did not act, he filed an ethics complaint against Capers. Three of the four ethics counts against Capers were sustained by the state ethics commission and referred to the New Jersey Office of Administrative Law for a final decision.

Capers declined to comment on Wednesday.

Smith’s name has appeared in several lawsuits that criticized the district’s practice of keeping teachers in an isolated room in central office called the “rubber room.” The rubber room was abolished this year.

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  • MarquinhoGaucho

    So he exposes corruption and wrong doing by school board member and is suspended?

  • https://www.facebook.com/app_scoped_user_id/350862588637007/ Ibbs John

    Super Pac got full control

  • Tony Clifton

    With the money he makes you would think he could afford a better wig.

  • https://plus.google.com/107427630970368759835 titansrst

    Well I'll be damned. Good old Smith got his. I knew his improprieties did not stop at perjury in a situation that changed the course of my life, but his deeds finally caught up with him. There is a God, but I deserve satisfaction.

  • Miss jamaica

    No he seem like he was a work bully
    Your name is not mention in several lawsuits because he is doing an excellent job.
    He should go he is already collecting a pension from Paterson police why should he get another pension on the poor tax payers. These are the things we should talk about. This is my opinion.

  • Kesjmar Washington

    I'm happy this happened… finally… real justice, him and a bunch of others in Paterson School Security need to be taken down, they corrupt as hell… and been like that for 16 years too, smh… I hope he never get that job back.

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