The Jersey City Council approved a vote of no confidence against Public Safety Director James Shea, in a move that was telegraphed at caucus and supported by several residents at last night’s meeting.
By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View
“He has no respect for our community,” Tina Nalls, an aide to Ward F Councilman Frank “Educational” Gilmore – the resolution sponsor – who said she was speaking on her own behalf, began.
“We definitely need safety in our community … Apparently, we gotta go and take his job away.”
A vote of no confidence is essentially a public reprimand or censure that does not come with any actual penalty, though the council does have the ability to remove any director with cause.
Edward Perkins commended Gilmore for taking action against Shea, exclaiming “we have zero confidence in him.”
Activist Gina Davison blamed him for the death of Andrew Washington III, claiming the responding officers were not properly trained to respond to a mental health crisis (the family has since filed a lawsuit against the city that is still pending).
Dana Patton, a member of Jersey City Together, also criticized Shea’s response to the death of Washington.
“Many of you have your own reasons for losing confidence in Director Shea’s leadership over the years, but for me the response over the murder of Andrew Washington is enough for him to be out as public safety director. Justice for Drew,” she stated.
Shea and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop called a press conference the day after a police officer fatally shot Washington, calling the killing justified since he charged at police with a knife, as HCV first reported.
Hudson County Anti-Violence Coalition Executive Director Pam Johnson, also a Ward A Council candidate, joined the chorus against Shea.
“I also want to lift up the voices of the residents who have demanded Director Shea’s resignation over the years. Folks have spoken on the record at press conferences, the city council, and community meetings, for many years expressing their disappointment with his leadership,” she stated.
“As residents, we were frustrated then, and we’re infuriated now. To find out that Director Shea may not have been confirmed in 2021 and should not even be the public safety director is troubling.”
Gilmore said that emails and calls to the Department of Public Safety routinely get ignored and Shea is rarely available, and even when Business Administrator John Metro is copied on emails – which they were told is necessary at caucus – there is no answer.
He further stated that a complete, itemized public safety budget has still not been provided to the council.
“We still don’t have an itemized budget: This is a clear pattern of continuing to ignore the council on simple issues … The administration is partially on the hook,” Gilmore argued.
“Gilmore, I agree with you 100 percent,” Ward C Councilman Rich Boggiano declared.
A retired police detective, he continued that said that the police officers’ morale has been terrible under Shea.
“I don’t see any cops on the street, I’m tired of seeing cops in their car afraid of the cold,” Boggiano added.
“We’ve been going back and forth with this public safety stuff for a while. Residents now have a better understanding of what we go through here as a council … The confidence really hasn’t been there,” noted Ward A Councilwoman Denise Ridley.
Ward B Councilwoman Mira Prinz-Arey pointed out that a vote of no confidence is largely symbolic, though a hearing for his removal could be scheduled in the future.
“If we are serious about the removal of a director, we should take action,” she stated before abstaining.
Ward D Councilman Yousef Saleh agreed and said that despite “legitimate grievances I have raised,” a vote of no confidence would not change anything so he also abstained.
“We should have votes on director, there’s been too many legitimate issues,” Ward E Councilman James Solomon asserted before voting yes.
Councilwoman-at-Large Amy DeGise was the only one to vote no, saying despite the challenges, “I have not lost confidence in the director.”
Councilman-at-Large Danny Rivera voted yes before Watterman said she didn’t want to play the blame game any longer.
“The enforcement really is not happening in the city. The people are frustrated with it. They’re (the police officers) frustrated. The court dismisses a lot of the summons … Stuff is not working, and that’s just the truth,” she declared to applause before voting yes.
The vote of no confidence passed 6-1(2), with DeGise voting no and Prinz-Arey and Saleh abstaining.
Meaningless posturing.