Keith Hahn

The NJSPBA speaking out against Mayor Sam Joshi. Even though the hearing officer hired by Edison Township granted a public hearing to the officers, Mayor Sam Joshi who also fills the role of Public Safety Director refuses to have a public hearing.

PBA PRESIDENT CALLS OUT HIDDEN HEARING

Statement from NJSPBA President Pete Andreyev

“We hear a lot about the need for transparency in policing, and we’ve lived up to that. Internal affairs records, personnel files, and more have all been opened in the name of public accountability. And while we’ve pushed back, when necessary, we’ve also supported these efforts when they’ve been fair and honest.

That’s why it’s outrageous when a police officer asks for transparency and gets denied. In Edison, two officers, cleared after seven years of legal delays, asked for a public disciplinary hearing to finally clear their names. The township’s own hearing officer said yes. But suddenly, Edison’s leadership stepped in to shut the process down and keep it behind closed doors.

Let’s be clear. This is not about protecting the process. This is about politicians protecting themselves from public scrutiny.

Transparency doesn’t get to be a one-way street. If the public can shine a light on officers, then officers should have the right to shine a light on the politicians and department leaders trying to cover their tracks. Anything less is hypocrisy."