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Retired U.S. Army major general to lead Hopewell Township Police Department

Photo courtesy of Hopewell Township
Retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Robert Karmazin is Hopewell Township's police director.

Retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Robert Karmazin has been appointed as the new police director of the Hopewell Township Police Department.

He recently retired in October having served as deputy commander, mobilization and reserve affairs in the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. Karmazin was also the USSOCOM senior representative to the Office of Secretary of Defense task force focusing on enhancing capabilities.

A resolution approving the appointment came before the township committee at a Nov. 9 meeting. Mayor Kristin McLaughlin, Deputy Mayor Michael Ruger, Committeeman Kevin Kuchinski, Committeewoman Julie Blake and Committeewoman Courtney Peters-Manning voted “yes” to approve the measure.

The township committee has not announced a timeframe for how long Karmazin would be the police director of the department.

“I think the short answer is that we do not know. I can’t speak for the committee as a whole, but I do feel comfortable in communicating the intent of our decision, which is to create change in the police department and how ever long that takes and he is needed,” Blake said. “One of the goals that we have for him is to develop leadership in the community and communication and community policing in the department.”

She added that the township committee does not envision the police director position as a replacement position for the position of chief of police.

“I think the chief of police position is the more efficient way to to go and efficient means that you have someone who can oversee the whole department and instill goals,” Blake said. “Police departments have to report to some civilian body. Right now we have structured it so that it is the police director is a civilian to report to. Ultimately, we would like it to be the township committee again directly or some other way.”

Karmazin will officially begin his new position on Nov. 12 and is set to receive an annual salary of $150,000, according to the resolution.

“The $150,000 is what we are paying him for the year. If he is here less than a year, he will make less than that,” Blake said.

When asked about a potential concern from residents regarding a retired military official becoming director, Blake stated that Karmazin’s experience in building relationships during his military career made him an intriguing contender and selection for the police director position.

“Of course it was a concern, because what we are doing is actually looking to create access for the community and create dialogue and communication between our residents. He is goal centered and about building relationships,” Blake said. “While Karmazin is military, his job as a special operations general was to work in communities all over the world to create dialogue and teach about policing and how to work within communities.”

Back on Aug. 3, committee members voted unanimously on an ordinance to create the temporary position and begin the search process.

There were 25 applicants, 10 of whom were interviewed.

The establishing of a police director position came after the retirement of former Chief of Police Lance Maloney, who had retired officially on Aug. 1. Maloney’s retirement had followed accusations and investigations of improper social media conduct involving township police officers and employees, which came to light in June and centered around a Facebook post referring to the Black Lives Matter movement as a terrorist organization.

“The investigation is still being conducted and is still in process now. We are during COVID and there are limitations from hearing officers and the whole process,” Blake said about the investigations and a final conclusion. “I am hoping by the end of the year, but I know the reality of getting people together and having effective results. It is not a healthy department when there is so much hanging over everybody’s head. We would like a result sooner and to move forward.”

The police director does not have any of the powers that are reserved for sworn officers, according to state documents. The powers unavailable for police directors include conducting a motor vehicle stop; stop, detain or arrest individuals; wearing a law enforcement officer uniform; handling any internal investigations or any active cases; and they will not be able to view any videos of active cases.

“The first order of events is he needs to talk with our lawyers about the limits of his role and needs to talk to police and needs to start talking about how to introduce himself and build relationships,” Blake added. “In his interview he had all kinds of really good ideas of how to get in front of people and talk to people in the different communities during COVID.”

Lt. William Springer, who has been acting chief of police, will now be named acting officer in charge and be in charge of day-to-day operations regarding policing. Because Springer is the officer in charge he cannot perform the internal affairs function, which is a function he oversaw as the previous internal affairs officer for the department.

The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office will take over that function for the department with a monitor overseeing the internal affairs for the Hopewell Township police. The monitor performs the internal affairs function until a chief of police or someone else in the police department can do the job.

Outside of his military career, Karmazin also has 27 years of operational and investigative law enforcement experience in his civilian capacity, prior to accepting the police director position. He retired in 2015 from the New Jersey State Police as a captain and bureau chief assigned to the Special Operations Section, according to the township.

“I am very excited to join such a terrific accredited police force as its director. We will focus on maintaining a culture that is built on trust and values, and views as strengths the attributes, experiences, cultures and backgrounds of each officer and the entire Hopewell Township community,” Karmazin said in a press release on Nov. 10. “We will be what the community of Hopewell Township needs us to be as a police force, fostering open communication, transparency, always buoyed by a strong ethical and cultural foundation which is essential to building trusted relationships.”

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