Mr. Parrey Has Some Explaining to Do

As emailed to members of Trenton’s City Council this morning:

Good Morning, Council Members –

In connection with your scheduled Executive Session tomorrow to consider the matter of Mr. Angel Perez, please note the attached.

Acting Police Director Parrey has over the last few weeks made multiple public comments denying special treatment for Mr. Perez after his removal for cause from the Mercer County Police Academy. Among those comments are those made to a reporter for the Trentonian which were included in a story published by that paper on February 12:

Parrey told The Trentonian that Perez’s actions were not egregious enough to warrant outright termination. Parrey said he felt Perez deserved a second chance, so he is working in the records section and will have to complete academy training with the next scheduled class. Parrey also said this is not the first time a recruit was allowed to recycle through the police academy after being removed once before.

Perez’s actions “did not rise to the level of termination,” Parrey said.

“He made a mistake and he apologized for his mistake,” Parrey said. “He was punished by being removed during the latter portion of the academy and he’ll have to recycle through the police academy all over again with his peers watching. When his peers walk tomorrow, he won’t be there.”

When asked whether he was influenced by Blanco or Mayor Eric Jackson to allow Perez to recycle through the academy, Parrey said “No.”

“It wasn’t preferential treatment towards Mr. Perez considering we did not hire the Chief-of-Staff’s daughter for the same class,” Parrey said. “We’ve had recruits (in the past) who were unable to complete certain components of the academy and they too were recycled.”

The emphasis on certain phrases are mine.

Director Parrey’s position on the matter are contradicted by the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office. Attached is a letter dated February 23, 2015 and received by me over the weekend as a swift, timely, complete and helpful response to an Open Public Records Act request I filed with Mercer County on February 19. I had requested any records from the County that would show how many other police recruits had been recycled through the Academy after violations such as Mr. Perez’, as Director Parrey indicated was not uncommon.

The key phrase in the letter written by First Assistant Prosecutor (now Acting County Prosecutor) Angelo J. Onofri is this:

“Since its inception, there has not been a recruit in the Basic Course for Police Officers classes who has been dismissed for a Class A violation and was then readmitted.”

A “Class A violation” is one that carries with it a penalty of 15 demerits for a first violation. In the Academy Rules and Regulations, 15 demerits will trigger a disciplinary process that will lead to dismissal. Further, for an incident of cheating – the kind of incident attributed to Mr. Perez, the Rules are strict and clear.

Rule 3-6: “Any incidence of cheating or an attempt to cheat, on any examination, notebook, quiz, etc., shall be grounds for immediate, permanent removal of the trainee from the Academy. This type of conduct shall be considered a violation of professional responsibility/demeanor. A Class “A” offense.

Council Members, in light of the letter from the County Prosecutor, and the Academy’s own rules, I would ask you to include this information as part of your examination of the issue tomorrow. Please examine Director Parrey on how he reconciles his actions and statements on the matter regarding special treatment for Mr. Perez with what is both the clear policy of the Police Academy, and a history of consistent application of that policy since the Academy’s inception.

I would also ask the Council to explore the financial implications of Mr. Perez’ training. Since he was cashiered from the Academy prior to his graduation, I would expect that the costs of his incomplete training would not be chargeable to the City’s Department of Justice COPS grant. With those costs being picked up by the City, have the costs been properly budgeted?

Regarding the civilian position in the Police Department being filled by Mr. Perez, was that position an authorized vacant position included in the FY 2015 budget? Was the position properly posted and publicized? If so, were other former City employees on the authorized Recall List given opportunity to interview for the position?

Thank you for your attention in this matter.

Sincerely,

Kevin Moriarty

The letter from Prosecutor Onofri has my home address on it, which is why
 I will not post it here or link to it. Here's a screengrab of the text: