In a letter to the editor, Jersey City Police Superior Officers Association President Capt. Pawel Wojtowicz explains why he believes Ward E Councilman James Solomon is wrong for public safety.
Dear Editor,
A mayor’s primary responsibilities are to ensure public safety and affordability. As someone who grew up in Jersey City, attended Jersey City schools, and now serves in the Jersey City Police Department (JCPD), I value having a mayor who supports public safety and the JCPD.
The upcoming mayoral election will profoundly impact public safety and the safety of our families, homes, and neighborhoods. I am gravely concerned about Councilman Solomon’s historic and constant efforts to criticize and undermine the JCPD’s functions.
To set the record straight, my original letter addressed the “progressive” policies supported by Councilman Solomon. It provided evidence from other cities where similar policies have negatively impacted police departments and public safety.
On June 16th, 2020, John Heinis reported on the Hudson County View that Councilman Solomon had stated, referring to the 2020 budget, “The current budget is unacceptable. It spends an overwhelming majority of discretionary funds on public safety.”
In response, Mayor Fulop stated, “In this instance, James Solomon is heavy on platitudes based on politics but light on substances, details, or results. Councilman Solomon’s suggestions to defund the police of up to $15 million had no details, when proposed because he knows that it would result in less walking posts in poorer communities and mass layoffs of the recently recruited young minority police officers whom happen to live in Jersey City…”
The Mayor further stated, “It is ironic that he is pushing policies that he knows would result in less safety for poorer communities being that he has shown little to no interest in police initiatives for 3 years on the council. This feels like Councilman Solomon is just playing politics with platitudes.”
Councilman Solomon has repeatedly voted against the Jersey City Police Department (JCPD) and the Public Safety budget.
A Mayoral spokesperson issued this statement regarding Councilman Solomon’s previous proposed police cuts: “The mayor presented a balanced budget with no tax increase for residents while investing more in affordable housing and public safety.
Inversely, there is no question that Councilmen Solomon and Lavarro’s proposal is exactly what they recommended before, which would result in police officer layoffs. It’s time for these two council people to stop playing politics with people’s safety.”
As a police officer and as someone who was raised in Jersey City, I understand the challenges facing the City in protecting and serving our residents, our neighborhoods, and the entire City.
Councilman Solomon is the wrong choice and the wrong direction for Jersey City. To embrace his policies would put Jersey City’s families at risk, jeopardize personal safety, and risk our neighborhoods’ security and peace of mind.
In the months ahead, I ask every Jersey City resident and voter to evaluate which mayoral candidate will be most responsible and responsive in protecting public safety. Cities across the Nation have abandoned reckless policies that increased chaos and violence.
Jersey City needs a mayor who will make the right decisions, not for politics or ideology, but for the right reasons.
Captain Pawel Wojtowicz
President, Jersey City Police Superior Officers Association
Editor’s note: The Jersey City PSOA has endorsed former Gov. Jim McGreevey for mayor.
