Camden, NJ To Lay Off Entire Police Force

The local police department is to be replaced by a county force

Camden Mayor Dana L. Redd announced Tuesday that she would begin dismantling the city's police department by the end of the month to make way for a new county-run force, putting a definitive timeline on a plan that has been under negotiation for nearly two years.

A state-required layoff plan is being drawn up, and Camden's roughly 270 officers could serve their last day on the job by the end of the year, putting city and county officials on a tight schedule to get the new force up and running. Less than half of existing officers would be allowed to join what is being called the Camden Metro Police Division, projected to number close to 400 officers.