DOVER — The Town of Dover is facing serious questions after officials confirmed municipal phone lines were being secretly recorded and stored without public knowledge. Mayor James Dodd announced that state and county investigators have been notified, calling the practice a potential violation of New Jersey’s wiretapping laws and a breach of public trust.
Mayor James P. Dodd said, “Good afternoon, I’m here today with our Town Administrator and Chief Financial Officer Dr. Ed Ramirez and also with our Municipal Attorney Ramon Rivera. The Town of Dover has recently become aware through an open public records request of a deeply concerning issue involving the recording of telephone calls made to and from town phone lines. Yesterday the Dover Police Department confirmed they are recording and storing all telephone conversations not only within Town Hall, but also across other municipal offices outside of Town Hall.
As Mayor, I was not aware of this until yesterday. This revelation is alarming as these recordings appear to violate the New Jersey Wiretapping and Electronic Surveillance Control Act, NJSA 2A:156A-1, which is a law that regulates how and when an electronic interception of communications may be conducted by the government, including law enforcement. The lack of notice by the Dover Police Department to Town employees and residents that the phone lines were being recorded raises serious legal and ethical concerns as well as questions of accountability.
Immediately upon confirmation of this practice, our Business Administrator and Chief Financial Officer, Dr. Ed Ramirez, notified both the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office and the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office requesting a full and thorough investigation. These agencies have been formally alerted and we have requested that investigations be immediately commenced and actions be taken. Specifically, we would like to know how this system was implemented, who authorized it, and whether it violates state and federal law.
This administration is determined to restore the public trust by confronting the problem directly, cooperating fully with the investigating authorities, and implementing reforms to ensure it cannot happen again. While these investigations are underway, residents should be aware that calls placed to town phone numbers may be recorded by the existing system. We are taking steps to suspend the recordings and an entire review of the system will be conducted, but until that process is complete, the possibility of recordings remains.
We want to be upfront and forthcoming with our residents so that everyone is aware when calling our municipal offices. As Mayor, I am committed to ensuring that Dover operates with full transparency and accountability. The people of Dover deserve honesty and openness and I will keep the community informed every step of the way.
This matter is being taken with the utmost seriousness and for those responsible, we expect them to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Should you have any questions pertaining to this matter, please contact 973-366-2200. Thank you.
