Burlington County Chiefs of Police Association

 

Burlington County Chiefs of Police Association

Opposes Closing of Training Academy

 

The Burlington County Chiefs of Police Association announced today that their organization held a special meeting on Monday, February 8, 2010 and voted unanimously to formally oppose the Burlington County Freeholder's decision to close the Burlington County Police Academy.

 

The Chiefs Association plans to voice their objections to last weeks' announcement by the Freeholders to close the police training facility during the County Freeholders regular scheduled meeting on Wednesday. 

 

The Chiefs Association will offer information that keeping training in Burlington County is cost effective and closing the academy would actually result in added costs to local government and each municipal police department.

 

The Chiefs Association will demonstrate how the current agreement between the municipal police Chiefs and the police academy, involving over 440 volunteer police instructors for basic training and 169 police volunteer instructors for mandatory in-service training,  save the tax payer approximately $116,000 and $86,000 respectively. None of the instructors charge for their services.

 

The Police Chiefs' Association has many additional concerns that they will present to the Freeholder Board that will demonstrate the need to keep the Burlington County Police Academy open.

 

"The continuing education of our police officers is paramount to maintaining the high quality police officers who have trained at the Burlington County police academy since its inception. The Officer's safety and the safety of the Citizens of Burlington County are our primary focus." the Chiefs' organization said.

 

 

Chief Frank Martine

President