Lattimore takes a change of venue: Retirement
Police Captain Michael Lattimore, the former Public Safety Director who is suing the city for wrongful termination, is retiring from the Police Division.
Police Chief Edward Santiago confirmed that Lattimore filed for retirement last week.
Lattimore did not return calls for comment.
Lattimore is a member of a large Plainfield family known for decades of service in government, law enforcement, education and ministry. He was appointed Public Safety director by former Mayor Mark Fury and was the only department head to stay on through the first and second terms of Mayor Albert T. McWilliams. He was the civilian director of the Police and Fire Divisions, which account for 36 percent of the city's budget.
But he was peremptorily fired by McWilliams in a public statement at an Aug. 16, 2004 City Council meeting, where the mayor said Jiles Ship would take over as department head the next day. Ship did take office in September 2004 and Lattimore came back to the division as a captain earlier this year.
Lattimore has been caught in political crossfire between McWilliams and Assemblyman Jerry Green for several years. Green was Democratic Party Chairman until 2003, when McWilliams garnered enough city committee members to unseat him.
Just before the June 2003 primary, Green said he was releasing a state report on problems in city operations. McWilliams one-upped Green by releasing the report a day early.
Lattimore was singled out in a paragraph that said, "The Public Safety Director is a captain who is on leave from that position. This individual has failed to address the major issues facing the department. This individual is an institution in the city and the mayor is finding that situation difficult from an administrative position."
In a confusing twist, McWilliams then said the harsh review was actually just based on what city officials had told the state, not on independent findings.
This year, when the party chairmanship was up again, McWilliams accused Lattimore of political motivation in filing his lawsuit in May. Green's Regular Democrats then used some of the charges in the lawsuit on a campaign flier. Lattimore denied being for or against either side.
McWilliams said Tuesday (Sept. 6, 2005) he hadn't received formal notice of Lattimor's decision.
Green, who won back the party chairmanship in June, said Tuesday it was his understanding that Lattimore was taking a security position with Rutgers University. No confirmation was available by Tuesday evening.
Santiago filed a lawsuit last month over some of the same issues that Lattimore raised. Both are now suing the city, McWilliams and each other. Both are invoking "whistleblower" protection under the Conscientious Employee Protection Act.
Green said of Lattimore, "I'm happy for him and his family. I'm happy he's able to move on with his career."
Green deplored the fact that the chief and the former Public Safety director are involved in lawsuits against the city, saying it is due to a "lack of leadership." "These individuals' careers have been tarnished," he said.
Police Chief Edward Santiago confirmed that Lattimore filed for retirement last week.
Lattimore did not return calls for comment.
Lattimore is a member of a large Plainfield family known for decades of service in government, law enforcement, education and ministry. He was appointed Public Safety director by former Mayor Mark Fury and was the only department head to stay on through the first and second terms of Mayor Albert T. McWilliams. He was the civilian director of the Police and Fire Divisions, which account for 36 percent of the city's budget.
But he was peremptorily fired by McWilliams in a public statement at an Aug. 16, 2004 City Council meeting, where the mayor said Jiles Ship would take over as department head the next day. Ship did take office in September 2004 and Lattimore came back to the division as a captain earlier this year.
Lattimore has been caught in political crossfire between McWilliams and Assemblyman Jerry Green for several years. Green was Democratic Party Chairman until 2003, when McWilliams garnered enough city committee members to unseat him.
Just before the June 2003 primary, Green said he was releasing a state report on problems in city operations. McWilliams one-upped Green by releasing the report a day early.
Lattimore was singled out in a paragraph that said, "The Public Safety Director is a captain who is on leave from that position. This individual has failed to address the major issues facing the department. This individual is an institution in the city and the mayor is finding that situation difficult from an administrative position."
In a confusing twist, McWilliams then said the harsh review was actually just based on what city officials had told the state, not on independent findings.
This year, when the party chairmanship was up again, McWilliams accused Lattimore of political motivation in filing his lawsuit in May. Green's Regular Democrats then used some of the charges in the lawsuit on a campaign flier. Lattimore denied being for or against either side.McWilliams said Tuesday (Sept. 6, 2005) he hadn't received formal notice of Lattimor's decision.
Green, who won back the party chairmanship in June, said Tuesday it was his understanding that Lattimore was taking a security position with Rutgers University. No confirmation was available by Tuesday evening.
Santiago filed a lawsuit last month over some of the same issues that Lattimore raised. Both are now suing the city, McWilliams and each other. Both are invoking "whistleblower" protection under the Conscientious Employee Protection Act.
Green said of Lattimore, "I'm happy for him and his family. I'm happy he's able to move on with his career."
Green deplored the fact that the chief and the former Public Safety director are involved in lawsuits against the city, saying it is due to a "lack of leadership." "These individuals' careers have been tarnished," he said.
--Bernice Paglia
KEYWORDS: police
posted by Bernice at 10:40 PM
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