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Six new officers join Paterson police force | Paterson Times

Six new officers join Paterson police force

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Mayor Andre Sayegh swore in six new police officers on Monday morning. He described the class, which included a Muslim woman clad in a hijab, as reflective of the community at a time when police have been the target of protests and threats.

“This is quite a class. You are a reflection of our population,” said Sayegh. “We have a young lady here who has a hijab.” He referred to Serein Tamimi joining the police force as “groundbreaking.”

Municipal officials often boast about the dozens of ethnic groups that call Paterson home. Four of the six recruits were women, the mayor noted.

Sayegh urged the officers to get to know the residents, whose tax dollars pay for the salaries and benefits of more than 400 police officers.

“Today is the first step to a very long journey,” said police director Jerry Speziale. All six will begin six months of training at police academy on Friday. He told the new officers not to “demean” or “betray” the trust placed in them.

Police had a tough year in 2018, when five officers were arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for demeaning and betraying their department. These men’s actions have cast a shadow on the police force as protests rocked the city last week. Many demonstrators cited the five arrests to attack police officers.

Few of the demonstrators noted the five arrests resulted from police brass referring the case to the FBI for investigation.

“Serve each and every day of your career with courage, honor, and dignity,” said Mason Maher III, president of the Superior Officers’ Association, to the recruits.

The police force had 418 officers last year, but this year more than 70 of them are expected to retire.

“If there’s one thing the Paterson Police Department needs right now is recruits,” said deputy police chief Heriberto “Eddie” Rodriguez.

Speziale said the city is preparing to hire 30 new officers this year. Municipal officials said police will be able to hire a new recruit for every veteran officer that turns in papers for retirement.

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Updated 2:16 p.m.

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  • Miss jamaica

    Much success to these fine men and women. I truly like the diversity.
    Paterson this is the area that must be explore. Hiring more men and women that represent the make up of the city.

    Diversity is good.

  • Dominick Perez

    How long before they start shaking down the people like those other ones were doing?

  • John Brown

    Give them a few months on the job and they'll be as crooked and as brutal as the ones that are already there

  • Miss jamaica

    I believe that as residents and citizen of Paterson we should really take the time to know the people here that serve the public.
    These men and women go out there and do jobs that personally I couldn’t do
    Some of these guys live right here in this city, they care about it.
    Not everything you read about them are true. I watch the council forum the other night .
    As for the case with this young man I will wait on the autopsy before I comment, I do feel it’s a very unfortunate situation. I keep in kids in my prayers. They are the ones that needs the answer the most.

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