Paterson Police Department's deputy chief positions are still vacant. Here's why

Joe Malinconico
·3 min read

PATERSON — The Police Department still has two of its three deputy chief positions vacant, even after 16 officers were promoted on Wednesday.

Paterson police officials have not said why they have kept the two top-level jobs open. One deputy chief spot became vacant on July 1, 2023, when Ronald Van Kluyve retired, and the second one opened up on Feb. 1, when Lourdes Phelan started collecting her pension.

“Promotions are based upon needs of the department, and members will be promoted accordingly,” said a spokesman for Paterson police.

Story continues below photo gallery.

But local law enforcement and City Hall sources said it seems that the representatives from the Attorney General's Office running the Police Department don't want to promote the next two captains in line for the job on the civil service test list.

“I keep pushing to have those spots filled,” said Mason Maher, president of Paterson’s Superior Officers Association. “Not only do we need those filled, but it would also allow for other people to move up the chain of command as well.”

In recent decades, before the state takeover, Paterson picked its police chief from among the ranks of the deputy chiefs. Under the attorney general's control, state-appointed Officer in Charge Isa Abbassi functions as chief.

State officials have not revealed exactly how long they plan to continue the Paterson police takeover, nor have they disclosed any plans for who would be chief when the attorney general’s intervention ends.

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Engelbert Ribeiro, who took the oath as Paterson police chief about three weeks before the state takeover, was removed by the Attorney General's Office from his leadership position in the city and reassigned to a law enforcement training commission in Trenton.

Ribeiro attended Wednesday’s promotion ceremony. Mayor Andre Sayegh repeatedly has said he wants Ribeiro to return to the chief’s office when the state intervention ends.

Deputy Chief Englebert Ribeiro takes the oath of office for his new rank as deputy chief during a promotional ceremony for the Paterson Police Department at City Hall on August 2, 2021. Mayor Andre Sayegh, not pictured, delivers the oath of office.
Deputy Chief Englebert Ribeiro takes the oath of office for his new rank as deputy chief during a promotional ceremony for the Paterson Police Department at City Hall on August 2, 2021. Mayor Andre Sayegh, not pictured, delivers the oath of office.

Under the Police Department’s structure, one deputy chief is supposed to oversee field services, including patrols and emergency response. A second commands investigations, and a third handles support services, like the prisoner cellblock, information technology and internal affairs.

Recent promotions

At present the department has one deputy chief: Stanley Rodriguez, who was promoted to that position at the end of last July during a ceremony at a New Jersey Jackals minor league baseball game. Rodriguez is in charge of investigations.

On Wednesday, Saleh Judeh was promoted to captain, and Kevin Kunzig, Angel Gonzalez and Anthony Castronova were made lieutenants. Sean Reed was given the title of detective sergeant.

Promoted to sergeant were Elbruz Dagistanli, Felipe Diaz, Benny Ramos, Levis Qirjako, David Affinito, Pedro Menacho, David Silva and Mustafa Dombayci, while Ricardo Bruce, Jose Galvan and Nelson Paez were elevated to the title of detective.

“In order for a department to be great, it needs great leadership,” said Abbassi, the officer in charge. “These newly promoted supervisors represent the new PPD. They personify the change in culture, philosophy and style that will continue to move this department forward into the next generation of public safety and beyond.”

Isa Abbassi, officer in charge of the Paterson Police Department, speaks during a press conference on a new anti-crime initiative at Paterson City Hall on Monday, June 26, 2023.
Isa Abbassi, officer in charge of the Paterson Police Department, speaks during a press conference on a new anti-crime initiative at Paterson City Hall on Monday, June 26, 2023.

“These promotions are more than just new titles or adornments on uniforms,” Abbassi said. “They represent change. Making sure that police supervisors clearly understand what is expected is a critical first step toward changing culture and improving our product.”

Policemen's Benevolent Association President Angel Jimenez said eight Paterson cops have left the city for better-paying law enforcement jobs in other municipalities during the past two weeks. Six of them went to work for Prospect Park, one to Hackensack and another to Edison, the PBA president said.

Jimenez said the latest departures put the number of resignations for cops going to other departments at more than 90 over the past several years. Union leaders attribute the severe attrition to the fact that the city’s police labor contracts expired five years ago and remain unresolved.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson Police Department's two top spots are still unfilled