DOVER — Mayor James P. Dodd issued a strong statement on Friday, September 26, in response to the Morris County Chiefs’ Association letter defending Dover Police Chief Jonathan Delaney.
Calling the letter “a desperate attempt to protect a fraternal brother and a system that benefits the chiefs of police,” Dodd emphasized that his duty is to Dover’s residents, not out-of-town chiefs. “I was elected to serve the people of Dover, who cannot afford a police department plagued by out-of-control overtime and mismanagement,” he said.
According to Dodd, the numbers reveal a stark imbalance. While the average Dover resident earns $31,000 annually, eleven police officers earn more than $200,000 each. A lieutenant earns over $300,000, and Chief Delaney’s total compensation package, including benefits and a take-home vehicle, approaches $400,000—placing him among the highest-paid public employees in New Jersey.
“The Valori report was fact-driven and laid out the fiscal and structural problems in Dover’s current system,” Dodd said. “The Chiefs’ hostility is predictable; they have long opposed public safety directors because real oversight threatens their oversized contracts and power centers.”
Dodd stressed his commitment to prioritizing residents. “I will always put residents first, unlike out-of-town Chiefs who don’t live here or pay taxes here. This is about protecting residents, not protecting paychecks. Our taxpayers cannot afford runaway overtime or a department that fails to enforce basic quality-of-life issues like homelessness, public intoxication, and noise violations.”
Concluding his statement, Dodd rejected the Chiefs’ letter as “nothing more than a false narrative and conclusion.” He added, “The people of Dover deserve fiscal responsibility, accountability, and safe neighborhoods, not political letters written to defend the status quo at the expense of residents.”
Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, Dover Focus did not receive any communication from the Morris County Chiefs’ Association in reference to the letter defending Chief Delaney.
