Al Peters, the former director of the Lakewood Police Department, wants answers. At tonight’s Township Committee meeting, Peters said he will stand before the five-member panel and demand an explanation for why he was forced out as the department’s leader.
“My record is impeccable, and I will not let this tarnish my record in any way,” Peters said Wednesday.
Two weeks ago, the retired State Police major was bought out of his $119,000 annual contract, on which seven months remain. The buyout followed a Nov. 8 phone call Peters received from Mayor Meir Lichtenstein, who informed Peters that his days as public safety director were likely numbered. No reason was provided during that conversation, Peters said.
Peters said he still is waiting for an explanation.
“They had no reason to terminate the contract, so legally they had to buy me out. There was no legitimate reason for termination,” Peters said.
On Nov. 16, a majority of the Township Committee approved a resolution that ended Peters’ employment. The resolution commended Peters for his service, stating that he “performed admirably.”
Lichtenstein and Committeemen Robert W. Singer and Menashe Miller — the members who approved that resolution — offered no reason for forcing Peters from the department.
While the committee has offered no explanation, some members of the Orthodox Jewish community have expressed concerns about the Police Department.
In particular, some residents have expressed dissatisfaction regarding what is perceived as heavy-handed ticketing for parking violations downtown, the handling of the assault of an Orthodox woman last summer and the handling of a confrontation between a Jewish school teacher and a black teenager.
Peters has declined to speculate in a specific way about why he fell out of favor. However, he stated: “Every police department that delivers services has to be non preferential in the delivery of those services.”
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5 Responses
he knows why! if you know &i know , he knows. he is trying to make trobble now but we will not play it out in the press. We had a vote and he is gone he can take a walk. We have to go find a new dir. to we keep the harmeny in lakewood
You want answers???i’ll give you an answer-Simply put-if you want to work for the community-you gotta work WITH the community. Its all about PR my friend.
THAT”S RIGHT………
He knows why!! If you know why and I know why he most certainly knows why, a well as the rest of the honest community that is left living in Lakewood knows why …. he is being forced out by a one sided, corrupt group of the community, who, in general, have no vested in interest in perserving the integrity of this 114 year old town!!!
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P.S. It would be advised that if people are going to make comments or responses to articles that they should be able to write in English… CAPTIAL lettters at the beginning of sentences and check the spelling of words and add proper puctuation before putting them out there for the public to view…
Just helping to stop any TROUBLE and keep the HARMONY 🙂
Hey 33 Year Resident! One of the nice things about this comment board is that anyone who has something valid to say, can express their views here without worrying about writing like a newspaper editor. Besides, if you are going to bash other peoples English skills, please make sure to spell everything correctly including the words you write in BIG print. FYI I believe the word is spelled capital.
Quick Quiz: what is the difference between CAPITAL and CAPITOL?
Recently a BMG guy picked up a yungerman on the way to Yeshiva and was ticketed for picking up a hitchkiker. (Defined by not knowing the name of the person he pikced up).
This may be the letter of the law, but it’s definitley not the spirit of the law. Doing these things ticks people off. This kind of ticketing comes from on top. Officers take cues from their superiors.
I’m glad Peters is going!!!