Garden State Times

On Thursday, the Camden County Commissioners announced that the Woodlynne Police Department will disband due to a severe staffing shortage, and the Camden County Police Department will assume policing responsibilities for the small municipality. Following years of oversight by the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, the borough agency will disband, with efforts underway to ensure a smooth transition for patrols in the coming weeks.

According to a letter from Edwin Ramos, the director of public safety for Woodlynne, by October, the department “will be operating with only a total of four officers to patrol, supervise and maintain training working 12 hours a day, seven days a week,” rendering it unsustainable. The Commissioners will collaborate with the Borough Council to assess needs and ensure proper police coverage for Woodlynne's 2,900 residents and businesses.

Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr., liaison to the Camden County Police Department, emphasized support for this transition. “Ironically, this is why we originally formed the Camden County Police Department in 2013 because of the failure of the Collingswood PD and Woodlynne PD shared service agreement in 2009,” Cappelli said. He added that they aim to provide sustainable policing services that taxpayers deserve.

Chris Winters, president of the Camden County Association of Chiefs of Police, supported consolidation as essential for maintaining strong law enforcement in Woodlynne. “The best solution for sustainable law enforcement presence is for consolidation with a neighboring agency,” Winters stated.

An independent evaluation by the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police highlighted significant deficiencies within Woodlynne's department across several areas: audits revealed no officer evaluations; training records showed no recent updates since 2021; there was no established school security program; investigative functions were compromised due to dual responsibilities; inventory control was lacking; crime data analysis was not prioritized; and evidence handling procedures were grossly inadequate.

Camden County Chief Gabriel Rodriguez discussed ongoing efforts: “We are working with existing officers and borough officials to determine community needs and preparing supplemental patrols starting September 1.” The CCPD aims to integrate Woodlynne's officers into its operations while providing enhanced community policing services.

Cappelli expressed confidence in positive outcomes from this consolidation: “The CCPD has drastically transformed Camden City...we are confident that things can turn around in Woodlynne as well.”

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