Policing Plainfield: Santiago to replace Santiago?

Front page of today's Trenton Times.

Plainfielders who attended Monday evening's City Council agenda-setting session heard a level-headed presentation by Mitchell Sklar, executive director of the State Police Chiefs Association, in defense of keeping the position of Chief of Police.

Sklar refuted several points made by Trenton's civilian police director, Joe Santiago, in a presentation to the City Council earlier this month -- in particular that there is a law known as the 'police chiefs' tenure law' (not so), citing case law to bolster his assertions.

One of the rumors that has been swirling around since Joe Santiago entered the lists on the side of the Green/Robinson-Briggs administration is that if the move to eliminate Plainfield's chief's position is successful, Trenton's Joe Santiago would become the new civilian police director in Plainfield.

I scoffed, and not just because he would come at a hefty price tag that would totally blow away the City's contention that this rejiggering is based on REASONS OF ECONOMY -- that is, it should cost less to implement than the current arrangements.

I also expected that he would stay in Trenton because Mayor Doug Palmer and his administration would prevail in the suit over Santiago's failure to meet Trenton's residency requirement (he lives in Stirling, not Trenton).

Was I wrong.

Joe Santiago, now Trenton's ex-police director.

The Trenton Times broke the news online yesterday that Superior Court Judge Linda R. Feinberg, in a 58-page decision, ruled against the city and Santiago, declaring the position "immediately vacant."

So, maybe the rumormongers were on to something, and Joe Santiago is headed to Plainfield?

His commute would certainly be shorter.

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• Trenton Times: "Judge says city police director must give up post"
• Ruling: "Forester et al v. Santiago et al" (PDF)
  

-- Dan Damon

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