Paramus Will Add Four New Police Officers

Paramus officials gave the okay to the hiring of four new officers returning some manpower back to the police department which has been shrinking over the past few years.

Mayor Richard LaBarbiera told Patch Wednesday that the governing body agreed Tuesday to hire four new officers. Letters of conditional agreement have been sent to the four new hires. They will still need to undergo a psyche evaluation before they come aboard, he said. 

At the start of the year the borough council had set out to hire two new officers however talks went back and forth over the need to add more manpower.

Councilwoman and Police Commissioner Maria Elena Bellinger had told NorthJersey.com that six new officers would be best for the department, or at least five officer - 4 hired now and 1 later in the year.

LaBarbiera had said it would depend on what funds were available in the budget.

The department rapidly shrunk in size over the past few years due to retirements and a previous hiring freeze. Retired Police Chief Christpher Brock told Patch previously the department was down 28 officers.

The four newly hired officers are expected to be appointed at the June 25 mayor and council meeting, LaBarbiera said.

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