An agreement that would allow suspended Police Chief David Bowman back to work has put city leaders on the hot seat as police officers continue to object to the deal.
Police said Bowman, alleged to have improperly handled a prisoner then lied about it on the stand, should be held accountable like any other police officer would.
But city administrators opted to make an offering to Bowman last week: come back as chief for six months, agree to resign and the conduct charges will be dropped.
Now council members are debating whether or not to support the tentative agreement and the impact their decision will have on the 81-member police force.
The disagreement and ensuing debate over what should be done with Bowman has revealed two different trains of thought — city managers who want to end a costly legal battle and police officers who said they want justice served, no matter how much the price tag.
"There is going to be a double standard in the Police Department," said police union President Fred Pulice.
"Any other officer would be held responsible for what was alleged. He wouldn’t be back for six minutes let alone six months. We’re asking Bowman be treated like any other officer in this state," he said.
The police union publicly opposed Bowman’s reinstatement last year after he was acquitted of criminal charges.
Bowman and Detective Emma Jackson were suspended in 2004 after the pair, along with a now-retired municipal judge, were indicted and charged by the state with tampering with records to get a prisoner they were friends with out of county jail to attend his father’s funeral.
All were found not guilty of tampering and falsifying records after a trial in November 2007.
But while on the stand during the trial, Bowman refuted the testimony of one of his officers who saw the prisoner being escorted from the funeral that day in 2003.
Officer Shawn Bland who attended the funeral re-past, testified that he saw prisoner Lloyd Fields "not shackled." Bland said he glanced over at Bowman and saw he was mingling with other people at the re-past while Fields sat at the head of the table drinking something.
However, when Bowman took the stand he said he was "right beside" Fields the entire time he was out of jail. Bowman said Bland would be wrong if he said he saw Fields without handcuffs at the re-past.
Pulice said the union got involved only after Bowman called Bland a liar during the trial.
Now the majority of police officers are standing behind Pulice, who said he wants to know which officer is guilty of perjury before Bowman is reinstated.
But the argument from police officers was countered with talk of an unexpected deal cut last week.
The Suburbanite reported that Interim City Manager Robert Casey made an informal agreement with Bowman Jan. 31 that would allow him to come back as chief for six months.
Administrative charges the city levied against Bowman in January, for handling the prisoner in 2003 and for insubordination, would be dropped under the new deal the sources said.
Perjury, what police are alleging Bowman is guilty of, was not included in the charges.
After hearing the arguments from city managers and police, one council member said the city’s governing body might weigh in before a final decision is made.
"If there is any expenditure I expect council involvement," said Councilman Gordon Johnson. "The council has to approve it."
But if Bowman is reinstated and doesn’t get a settlement, Casey doesn’t need council approval, Johnson said.
Johnson, a former city police officer, did not say if the police union’s position against Bowman’s reinstatement would be taken into account.
Mayor Michael Wildes, a Bowman supporter, said politics is at play.
"I hold each officer with the highest esteem but would suggest politics in any department is not productive," he said. "This must end."
Residents want the issue resolved as well.
Some said Bowman has the right to take back his position while others said his return will do more harm than good.
For three years, veteran officer turned acting chief, Arthur O’Keefe, has been running the department.
During those years, officers were reassigned to add more supervision and organization, school safety was upgraded, community policing was started and grants were obtained to get the department technologically up to par.
"When they get Bowman back, then what?" asked 40-year resident Shirley Green. "Is that gonna make a better Police Department?"
Resident Cornelia Rogers said she wants Bowman, and Jackson, back on the job.
"You took away their pay and they’ve been floating around for three years," Rogers told the council last week.
Alva Jones said the city had enough time to find Bowman guilty of something and they didn’t.
"You had 50 days. You would have found it on Day 1 if there was anything there," she said.
E-mail: kumka@northjersey.com or call 201-894-6705
