Two-Thirds Of Cops Vote 'No Confidence' In Chief: Report

WAYNE, N.J. — The police department's rank and file have issued a vote of no confidence in their police chief.

Two-thirds of the 110 members of the Police Benevolent Association Local 136 cast "no" votes last week when asked if they "have confidence" in Chief Clarke, according to a report on NorthJersey.com.

Since Clarke was sworn in on Jan. 1, 2015, the PBA has filed "numerous" grievances and Unfair Labor Practices and several members have filed Civil Rights complaints and complaints in Superior Court," according to a statement released by the PBA the report referenced.

Stuart Alterman, the PBA's attorney, said "fear and intimidation" has created "an imbalance within the department," according to the report.

One former officer, Erik Ferschman, filed a civil suit against the department and Clarke after he was fired Nov. 21. His termination followed an internal investigation that revealed Ferschman was eating at the Park Wayne Diner, which was outside of his assigned patrol area, when he received a call about someone going into cardiac arrest. He is suing to get his job back.

Ferschman, a Wayne Valley High School alumnus, was sworn in as a Wayne police officer in 2012.

Erik Ferschman takes the police officer's oath of office during his swearing in ceremony in 2012. — Patch file photo

Dozens of police officers from Wayne and local police departments attended a council meeting in December in support of Ferschman. Several Wayne officers spoke about problems with Clarke and the department.

The vote was the PBA's "last resort to express concern over the chief's lack of leadership, lack of communication, lack of support for officers, poor policy decisions and excessively harsh disciplinary action," the PBA said in a statement, NorthJersey.com reported.

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Patch file photo