Dover Mayor, Council Pass Ordinance to Eliminate Police, Fire Chiefs

Dover Town Council voted 6-3 to approve the first reading of an ordinance creating a Department of Public Safety, which would be run by one civilian director.

Protestors surround Dover Police Chief Jon Delaney before a Town Council meeting on the future of the department. (Photo/David Arredondo)

By Mario Marroquin

Dover’s Town Council voted to approve an ordinance this week that, if ultimately passed, would

abolish the town’s police and fire chief positions and create a single Department of Public

Safety. The vote followed a nearly four-hour virtual meeting filled with heated debate and

arguments over the proposed changes, which officials say are aimed at cutting costs and

increasing accountability.

The council voted to approve the ordinance in the first reading, on a split decision. Council members Michael Scarneo, Claudia Toro, Sergio Rodriguez, Geovani Estacio, and Veronica Velez, and Mayor James P. Dodd voted to approve the ordinance. Council members Arturo Santana, Marcos Tapia, and Sandra Wittner voted against the move.

The mayor and council members heard a presentation from Louis Valori, a retired Detective Sergeant of the Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department and owner of The Valori Group, LLC, a security consulting firm hired by Dover to study the police department. Valori said the DPD’s finances led him to support the ordinance. He blamed the budget problems on Dover Police Chief Jonathan Delaney’s salary, which he said is one of the state’s highest, and the department’s overtime policy. 

Valori and council members expressed concern about the length of Chief Delaney’s six-and-a-half-year contract, issued by former Dover Mayor Carolyn Blackman. They claimed the department’s alleged lack of transparency made it impossible for town officials, including Dover CFO Dr. Edward Ramirez, to work with Chief Delaney.

Councilman Scarneo passionately supported the ordinance despite sharing his fondness for Chief Delaney, whom he has known since the chief was a child.

“This ordinance makes clear that just as the mayor and council are accountable to the people, so too is the police department,” said councilman Sergio Rodriguez. “This was about ending political games and putting public safety back at the service of our community.”

Residents also watched the Town Council meeting at the Dover Free Library. (Photo/David Arredondo)

PUBLIC PROTEST

Two separate groups of citizens gathered to watch the 7 p.m. council meeting via Zoom. 

Seven people met at the Dover Free Library for a viewing event promoted on the digital announcement board at the northeast corner of JFK Park. Meanwhile, 20 residents picketed in front of Town Hall, shared their views, and helped each other log in to the meeting. Police Chief Jon Delaney met with the group and thanked them for their support. 

At 8:20, Mayor Dodd claimed that the noise from outside protestors made it hard to hear the presentation from “a radical group of people outside.”

The council continued with the meeting but took a few intermissions during the comment period to address profane comments directed at the mayor over its feud with the police chief.

Before taking a vote on the legislation, the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police

President Andrew Caggiano submitted a public comment that encapsulated the concerns and

trepidation expressed by town residents.

“The chief [of police] and the officers are dedicated to bringing public safety to all who reside in

Dover,” Caggiano said. “Normally, a township supports its police officers and the police chief. This, unfortunately, has not been the case in Dover.

“The [association, along with our attorney] will continue to support Chief Delaney and the Dover

police department. We will continue to monitor the actions of the town of Dover, and the

ongoing harassment of Chief Delaney and the officers must stop now.”

A press release issued on Tuesday by the office of the mayor said that the move to abolish the

police chief role was rooted in legitimate governmental objectives, which made it acceptable

under the state’s legal framework. Mayor Dodd said Chief Delaney used his role to stave

off oversight from elected officials and municipal administrators. The release also noted that the

department recently hired a police officer who was arrested on domestic violence charges, and

that Chief Delaney had wiretapped department and town hall phone lines since early 2024.

“Due to pending litigation, I have to reserve comments at this time,” Chief Delaney said when asked for comment about the ordinance discussion. “However, I am aware of the baseless accusations made at last night’s council meeting. I am confident the truth will eventually come out and prove this is nothing more than continued political retaliation.”

There was no discussion of changes to the Dover Fire Department at the meeting.

Mayor Dodd did not respond to multiple requests for comment from DOVERNOW.