Paterson's next police chief is Troy Oswald, a veteran narcotics officer

PATERSON — Troy Oswald, a veteran narcotics cop, was named police chief on Thursday, but some city officials said the decision should have waited until after the city’s mayoral election in May.

Mayor Jane Williams-Warren picked Oswald without conducting a new civil service hiring test for the job – an option she had under state law because there were just three deputy chiefs vying for the position.

“This decision was a difficult one, but I am confident that with your leadership the Police Department will continue to grow and perform to its highest standard,” the mayor wrote to Oswald in a letter on Thursday.

Oswald has had the highest score on two promotional tests in recent years, officials said. The state civil service commission still must approve the mayor’s decision to bypass the testing process.

Williams-Warren, who was appointed mayor last October to fill the office that became empty when Jose “Joey” Torres was convicted, is not planning to run in the May election. In an interview on Thursday afternoon, she was asked about the assertions by some officials that she should have left the chief’s appointment for the next mayor.

“Certainly, everybody is entitled to their viewpoint,” the mayor said. “But when they entrusted me with this job, they entrusted me with all the powers of the office. I felt very comfortable that this is what should be done.”

Williams-Warren had named Oswald acting chief last month.

Meanwhile, Oswald spoke with enthusiasm about his plans for the department. He said that after the current recruits finish their training in the police academy this summer he would launch new 22-hour per day walking patrols in four or five areas of the city with potential for economic development.

Oswald also said he planned to “empower” his captains and other supervisors, for example giving them the opportunity to pick which officers would serve in particular units. In the past, he said, the police administration would assign officers to various units regardless of the captains’ wishes.

“I’m empowering the supervisors, but I’m also going to hold them accountable,” the new chief said.

Oswald also said officers with track records of success will not be allowed to rest on their laurels. “It’s going to be, ‘What have you done for me lately?’” the chief said.

City Council President Ruby Cotton cited Oswald’s extensive experience “on the streets” as a key credential.

Deputy police chief Ibrahim “Mike” Baycora, who was one of the finalists for the top job, promised he would give Oswald his “full support.”

“I support the mayor’s decision whole-heartedly,” said Baycora. “We’re all together on the same issue – to help Paterson improve itself.”

Paterson’s other deputy police chief, Heriberto “Eddie” Rodriguez, could not be reached for comment. Many political insiders had expected Rodriguez to get the chief’s position after Torres won the 2014 mayoral election. But after the last chief, William Fraher, retired at the end of 2016, Torres opted to have the city’s three deputy chiefs go through four-month rotations during 2017 as the officer in charge of the department to evaluate their performance.

Three candidates running for mayor — councilmen Michael Jackson and William McKoy and former school board Trustee Pedro Rodriguez — said Williams-Warren should have allowed whoever wins the May election make the decision on the next chief.

“Whoever is the next chief will have to work with the next mayor for four years and I think the next mayor should make that selection,” Jackson said.

McKoy expressed a similar sentiment.

“It’s always been my position that the decision should wait until after this election,” he said.

Rodriguez, who works as a telecommunication analyst in the Paterson police department, said that if were to win the mayoral election he would have liked to have been able to pick a chief who had the best ideas for fulfilling his public safety platform. But he praised Oswald.

“Paterson is getting the cream of the crop when you’re talking about Troy Oswald,” he said.

Councilman Andre Sayegh, when he was running for mayor four years ago, had said that he would make Oswald chief if he were elected.

“We’re looking for someone to elevate the department and I believe he’s well-positioned to do so,” Sayegh said.