When someone is arrested and charged with a crime, police departments observe a protocol that includes the reading of Miranda Rights.
HACKENSACK -- The city Police Department is partnering with a federal organization to conduct an assessment and to review the shape of its future.
The Department of Justice's Community Oriented Policing Services, or COPS office, has been visiting the city's police headquarters over the past five months talking with officers, administrators and community members.
Over the next year, the office will work with police and city officials to develop a strategy and plan for the department's future, Police Director Ray Guidetti said.
"The aim of this is to assist the police department in building out a strategic vision that is focused on the community it serves," he said. "Through the COPS office, we now have access to all subject matter experts from around the country who are going to be coming in to provide insight and increase our capabilities."
Among the subjects that will be examined are: data-driven policing, employee wellness, professional development, community engagement, internal and external communication, leadership, organizational structure, accountability and oversight.
The department underwent a review in 2022 by Robert Anzilotti, the retired chief of detectives for the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office, through his company, R3 Strategies and Solutions.
That review examined the department's organizational structure, overtime expenses and community engagement, and found overtime abuses by some of the department's ranking officers and a drop in arrests. The assessment led to the hiring of Guidetti as director in August 2022.
His tenure has brought change to the department, including new technology and a focus on community engagement, and numerous grievances and lawsuits filed by officers against the director, claiming improprieties and retaliation.
In April, the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office took control of the city police department's internal affairs bureau and office of professional standards. The prosecutor's office is still directing those functions, Guidetti said.
This assessment is different than prior reviews because of its collaborative nature and its focus on the future, Guidetti said.
"The department has never experienced this before -- folks coming in the door looking to work collaboratively with you," he said. "Officers are used to people coming in, taking a look at the department and writing assessments or reports. Here, they are part of the assessment and the vision for the future."
Residents can visit the COPS office website for more information or updates to the Hackensack police department assessment.
"I am excited by this important step that the police department took to enhance its capabilities while putting the community first," Mayor John Labrosse said in a statement. "I am thankful that the Department of Justice has selected Hackensack to conduct the organizational assessment, and I look forward to sharing the updates with our residents."