In 1963, the city switched to civil service, eliminating the appointment system. The switch allowed for standardized hiring and promotional exams. The influence of politics on the process was minimized.
In 1971, the city changed its governing system to the administrative code. These two events limited the political influence on the daily operations of the department. No longer was there a police committee that oversaw the department; the business administrator and Mayor handled those responsibilities.
The department was further stabilized by having only one chief in command for sixteen of the next twenty years.
All officers received basic police training during this time period. In addition, the department pushed for advanced training of its officers. A 1968 memorandum on schools that officers took during the year showed fourteen different officers attended advanced police training. The classes included narcotics, search and seizure, advanced detective course, and first aid instruction. A reflection of the events going on in the country is found in the training memorandum. Half of the officers attended some sort of riot control class.
TECHNOLOGY
In 1973, the department became the first in Middlesex County to have a semi-automatic pistol for its firearm. The department's radio system was upgraded. Phone calls coming into dispatch were now recorded. Portable radios were given out on a limited basis. There were not enough for every officer to have one so they would partner you up.
The prevention of crime remained a main task of the department. Crossing posts during school, at banks on Friday nights, and at churches on Sundays were still the responsibilities of the department. The functions and duties under the Administrative Code altered the police to order maintenance and crime fighters. The language was clear as to the mission, "protect life, suppress riots, and disperse dangerous assemblages".
The other problem was the increasing flow of traffic. As areas south of the city became developed, people moved in while still working in the north. The problem was made worse by poor roadway planning at the State level. Two highways merged and one highway become a single lane as it went through the city. The result was accidents.
The police department was responsive to the communities concerns, although it had no formal outreach. The juvenile detective would go to the schools and talk about drugs. The other detective would sometimes talk to senior citizens about scams to avoid.
1960's motor vehicle accident at the merge of Route 9 & 35
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Research for this section provided courtesy of Jim Ryan
