With the disbandment of the Woodlynne Police Department on Thursday the responsibility of policing the community now falls on the Camden County Police. This change is not unique, as other communities may soon undergo similar transformations. The rising costs, including excessive salaries and benefits, are becoming too much for taxpayers to sustain.

For instance, the Gloucester City Police Department is located in one of the poorest communities in the state of New Jersey. Yet, police officers in that city receive an average salary of $127,000, making it the third highest-paid police department in Camden County. The community of Gloucester City qualifies as an ABBOTT district and a UEZ Zone due to its low-income levels. Residents have recently received their property tax bills, which have increased every year on average by $1000 per household since 2018. This has contributed to the city being one of the top 30 communities in the state with the highest property taxes.

 

The current high ranking officers of the  City police department are one of the most reticent law enforcement agencies in South Jersey that we've encountered in our 56-year career as a journalist. For example, a simple request to find out how many police vehicles the department has remained unanswered.

 

Since Police Chief Brian Morrell was named to the position in  2016, his salary has ballooned to $184,000. The department's size has increased from 28 employees to 39 employees. The weekly crime report was discontinued, a practice that had been in effect since the 50s.  Any effort to obtain information from Morrell about a crime is met with a response to the file and OPRA request.

 

When we investigated the rumor about the assistant Public Works Superintendent stealing money from the department, our requests were stonewalled. Later, we found out the investigation had ended, and the man had pleaded guilty and retired with a full-pension.

 

On January 1, 2023, Morrell’s contract was renewed for five more years until 2027. If he was old enough to retire today he would receive 65 percent of  his present police salary or $119,600 annually. 

 

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