Edison Mayor Issues New Guidance After DNC Security Controversy

EDISON, NJ — Edison Mayor Sam Joshi recently came under fire for taking four police officers for security to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. However, the Mayor reimbursed the township immediately after his return and has issued new guidance.

Councilman Richard Brescher brought up the issue during Monday's Council meeting. He termed the Mayor’s Chicagi trip as a “political vacation.”

“The Mayor took four police officers with him to the DNC. And he isn’t even a delegate the DNC. That basically is like a political vacation.” Brescher said. “The Mayor should reimburse the Township for the four police officers and for any overtime that has been generated, otherwise to me that’s almost like theft of service in a way.”

Brescher said may councilmembers receive threats but no one takes security with them.

“For the Mayor to do that was appalling when crime is on the rise and our statistics are there to show that. You don’t care about public safety when you take away four police officers,” Brescher said.

Speaking to Patch, Mayor Joshi said that he had reimbursed the cost of security as soon as he returned from Chicago. He also refuted Brescher claim saying he was in fact a delegate at the DNC.

“I gave my check that same week that I came back from Chicago. Two officers flew and two officers drove, but I paid for their hotel for my own election fund,” Joshi said. “I paid a blanket $20,000 to Edison Township, which is above and beyond the whole cost.”

The Mayor has a security detail assigned to him for his visits anywhere in the tri-state area and Washington D.C.

The four officers who accompanied Joshi were not scheduled to be on patrol that week. Joshi’s security detail in Chicago had four officers so they could rotate the shifts.

"I believe that I could, and should, have handled my trip to the DNC better. And I want to be clear: not a single dime of expense will be funded by the taxpayers,” Joshi said. “I take my fiduciary responsibility to the Township of Edison incredibly seriously, and will always ensure that the impact on Edison taxpayers is first and foremost in all Township operations.”

Joshi has now issued an administrative order laying out the proper guidelines for a protection unit for the mayor for government-related functions and overnight trips.

“The use of the protective detail shall be limited to events that occur in NJ, NY or the District of Columbia. When such other use of the detail is determined to be appropriate by the Chief of Police or his designee, the cost thereof shall be reimbursed by the protectee. Staffing, if any, for out-of-state travel shall be determined by the Chief of Police,” the new administrative order says.

The administrative order was recently signed by Joshi, Chief of Police Thomas Bryan and the township attorney.

Bryan told Patch that it was his responsibility to ensure the safety of all residents and the Mayor.

"I'm the one who assigns the officers for what they do, and naturally, I'm going to try to put the best officers in the best position that's going to benefit the residents of Edison Township. As far as the security detail goes, I'm going to ensure the safety of the Protectee, in this case, the mayor. And I also want to ensure the safety of the officers themselves, because anytime we turn the TV on, you can see at any given time on any news network that police officers across the country are being assaulted, being attacked and worse," Bryan said.

"These four officers that attended were not part of the patrol unit, so their being where they were did not cause any overtime for the police department."

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