Public Forum on County Police in Paramus Next Week

A public forum focused on the relevance of the Bergen County Police Department, something which has been a hot topic over the past year and more, is set for next Tuesday night in Paramus.

The League of Women Voters of Bergen will host this forum which will be held in the auditorium of the Bergen County Community Service Building, located at 327 Ridgewood Avenue at the corner of Farview Avenue. The forum will begin at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 9.

A panel of police professionals will respond to the question of "why is the Bergen County Police Department needed?"

County Police Chief Brian Higgins will be among the panelists. He will review the history and mission of the department and explain the broad scope of services that the Department of Public Safety provides, announced the League in a release.

Other panelists will discuss the interaction between the municipal and county police; the teams of highly trained specialists who respond to special emergency situations within this county department; and the work of a school resource office, a term frequently heard in the news but not clearly understood.

There had been much debate last year over whether or not to disband the county police department and merge it with the sheriff's office. Following debate, two studies and legal action, Bergen County Freeholders rejected an ordinance that would have disbanded the county police department.

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