>The recent retirement of Police Lieutenant Philip Weiler and the projected December retirement of Police Lieutenant Richard Whitehead might prompt Village Manager James M. Ten Hoeve to eliminate two lieutenants’ positions from the current police department roster.
It is rumored that Ten Hoeve is considering eliminating the lieutenants’ positions as a cost savings measure. He would instead promote two patrol officers to sergeants and back fill the promoted patrol officers with new hires.
The newly promoted sergeants, lesser paid than lieutenants, would serve as front line patrol supervisors. Under the rumored plan, remaining Police Lieutenants Thomas Landers and John Ward would each be responsible for supervising an entire 24-hour tour instead of a 12-hour tour (as is currently managed).
The extra sergeants would be needed to provide overlapping supervision because neither Landers nor Ward would be expected to remain on duty for an entire 24-hour period. Capitan John LiPuma currently commands the Ridgewood Police Department’s uniformed division; Landers and Ward both report directly to LiPuma.
As of now, Village Manager Ten Hoeve has not publicly discussed police department staffing options with Village Council members, nor has Police Chief William M. Corcoran.
https://www.ridgewoodnj.net/department_detail.cfm?dept_id=13
