The township committee will be restructuring the township police department by having a police chief run the department instead of a director of public safety.
Cinnaminson is switching things up. The township committee will be restructuring the township police department by having a police chief run the department instead of a director of public safety. This is one of a few changes to occur after last Monday’s meeting.
According to Mayor Donald Brauckmann, in 2011 the township was left in a position where the township would benefit from temporality bringing in an outside professional to lead the department — the director of public safety.
“We lost all of our senior law enforcement officers in a very short amount of time because of retirements,” Braukmann explained.
What was to be a two-year project now is going on its seventh year, and the township is ready to transform the department back to how it originally was, according to Braukmann.
An ordinance to appoint a police chief as head of the department was introduced on June 28 at a special meeting. Although Braukmann said he wished it was done differently, it was “necessary” since it involves civil service as it pertains to the town’s deadline.
“One of the tools to help us evaluate who the next chief of police will be is the NJ Civil Service exam for chief, and in order for us to offer this exam to our police department, the composition ordinance had to reflect that we have a chief of police, which we currently do not,” Braukmann explained.
Braukmann said that, according to civil service, the ordinance must be effective in time to test, which is in early August. If the deadline is missed, they will not be able to test again until next year. The township wanted to make sure the ordinance was was passed promptly and with transparency.
“We didn’t want to lose the year,” Braukmann said.
In other news, Brauckmann was officially nominated to the position of mayor due to Howard “Bud” Evans stepping down. Committee Member Ernest McGill was sworn in as deputy mayor. Although two familiar faces acquired new positions, there was a new addition to the mix. Lifelong resident, Stephanie Kravil was sworn in as a committee member.
With four generations from Cinnaminson, Kravil has roots in town. According to Brauckmann, Kravil is not only qualified but will be an asset to council.
“Her professional duties in managerial administration for a locally operated corporation in Moorestown make her completely proficient in identifying and solving inefficiencies in high-level critical thinking,” Brauckmann said.
Brauckmann said she is an active participant in volunteer organizations in and out of Cinnaminson, including local sports organizations and participates in fundraising.
Kravil will serve as a member of the township committee until the election in November.
The next meeting will take place Aug. 20 at 6:30 p.m.
