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| NEWS > 19 July 2007 |
Other related articles:
Dual positions will end
EDISON — While state lawmakers toy with the idea of putting an end to dual-office holding, township officials yesterday announced plans to enact a law banning municipal employees from moonlighting and holding multiple positions.
Mayor Jun H. Choi said he would adopt the law and other ethics standards through executive order in the near future, joining Woodbridge as the only municipality in the county to forbid employees from taking jobs that would pose a conflict of interest.
"This is innovative stuff," Choi said. "You don't have that many models around."
... Read more
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 Article sourced from
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Annapolis Capital - Annapolis,
19 July 2007
This article appeared in the above title/site.
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Police moonlighting doesn't ju
If anyone should understand the need to follow the rules, it is the police. They can't very well seek exceptions for themselves while allowing none for the public.
So, at first glance, there shouldn't be any special consideration for county police officers who, under an ethics commission opinion the police chief recently decided to enforce, would be banned from moonlighting at businesses that sell liquor.
The chief can't be blamed for following the ethics panel's recommendations - but, in this case, we'd like to see the law changed.
The ethics commission has decided that officers cannot work at any establishment that sells liquor. The premise is that it is too great a conflict for police who are paid by the county, in part to enforce liquor laws, to be taking money on the side from private establishments governed by those laws. Would county police officers in such a position, for instance, give a break to a part-time employer caught selling liquor to a minor?
There hasn't been a single recorded incident of such a thing. So why the rush to change the department's prior policy, under which secondary jobs were allowed at businesses that don't get their primary income from selling alcohol?
After all, the police chief already has to approve every supplemental job. So far every police chief has been able to ward off conflicts.
The ban is unfair and shortsighted in a number of ways. The county doesn't pay officers enough to preclude the need for supplemental income.
Take Cpl. Thomas Middleton, a father of six, whose side jobs at TGI Friday's and Jasper's add nearly $15,000 to his annual salary. He has budgeted that money to pay off bills. Other officers, whose moonlighting has been approved by the police chief, also count on the money.
On their behalf, the Fraternal Order of Police has sued the ethics commission, the police chief and the county. Until the issue is resolved in court, officers will be able to keep their extra jobs.
It isn't just the police officers who benefit from these supplemental jobs. The work increases police presence in the community and places trained law enforcement officers in spots where crime could happen. If trouble breaks out, having such trained officers on the premises beats having some bouncer who can only check IDs.
Furthermore, the moonlighting saves taxpayers money. If a special event like a wine festival cannot hire police officers because alcohol is served, the county will have to dispatch officers to control traffic and crowds.
We hope the police union prevails in court. If that doesn't happen, we hope county officials modify the law to allow officers to keep their supplemental jobs. The ethics commission ruling, even if it's a correct reading of the current law, will do actual harm in order to avoid theoretical conflicts of interest.
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