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Deputy Police Chief George Zimmer Jr. |
A 30-year veteran who could have
retired long ago, Zimmer yesterday was to take a reduction in rank and pay as
part of a plan to save money and shake up the police force. For Zimmer,
the pay cut amounted to at least $7,000 a year.
Zimmer is also survived by George Zimmer Sr., who served as township chief of
police from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. Someone who answered the
phone at the senior Zimmer's home yesterday said the family was not ready to
comment.
"Deputy Chief Zimmer was a
well-respected member of the Mercer County law enforcement community as well as
a good friend," said Mercer County Prosecutor Joseph L. Bocchini Jr. "He
was a true professional who served this community with honor and distinction for
more than 30 years. He will be greatly missed."
Bocchini sponsors a Little League team and knew Zimmer well. In a team
photograph of the 2004 11-Year-Old District All Star Team, Coach Zimmer stands
proudly with fellow coaches Mark Pugliese (manager) and Steve Spadafino.
In italics, they are identified as state champions. In the front row
kneels George's son, George. They're all grinning in the sunshine.
Hamilton Chief of Police James W. Collins said in a statement released by Casey
DeBlasio, Bocchini's spokeswoman, "I am deeply saddened to be informed of the
loss of Deputy Chief George Zimmer. (He) was a 31-year veteran (and) ...
an extremely dedicated police manager. Our thoughts and prayers are with
his family."
Zimmer joined Hamilton Police in 1977 and was deputy chief since his promotion
from captain in 2002, DeBlasio reported. "He was the recipient of numerous
medals and commendations, including awards for honorable service, exceptional
service and a 30-year good conduct medal. He was also a 1993 graduate of
the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va."
"Our place is shocked," said Bob Diszler, president of PBA Local 66.
"We're in kind of a state of shock here today." He said Zimmer had never
given any indication that suicide was on his mind. "Never, never.
It's absolutely shocking."
Diszler said Chief Collins was in New York. "He had a relative pass away
on him, too," Diszler said. "He's grieving in a couple ways, like we all
are today. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Zimmer family right now."
"I really feel sorry for the department," said former councilman Vinnie
Capodanno, "because when one of their own is gone, it hurts them all.
Right now, they're all hurt.
"I know his wife has cancer; I think that was bothering him," he said.
"And the stress and all that was going on with the police department ... and him
keeping his deputy commissioner job. But I don't know if that led to what
happened.
"All I know is, he was a fine officer, a really really fine officer. When
I was a councilman and he came before us to do the budget, he was always
concerned about his guys. I always admired him. He was a kind of
nice low-key guy; he didn't come across like a real tough cop. He always
came across as a gentleman. I really liked him. And he's going to be
missed."
Township Council had been scheduled to vote last night on the first of three
ordinances designed by Mayor John Bencivengo's administration to implement a
police reorganization that would have reduced the number of top-ranking cops on
the force and likely have busted Zimmer from deputy chief back to captain at age
55.
But the meeting and the vote were postponed out of respect to the Zimmer and
Meara families, said Council President Dennis Pone. (Councilman Kevin
Meara's 24-year-old son, "K.C.," was found dead at home on Monday.)
Instead, council held a brief emergency meeting at 4 p.m. to pass a $25 million
temporary budget. "If we don't act on that," said Pone, "we'll have to
shut the government down." Pone joined Kelly Yaede, Tom Goodwin and Dave
Kenny in a 4-0 vote.
Voting on the proposed police restructuring ordinances will be rescheduled.
They are the result of a 17-page report on the department authored by a
Bencivengo transition team and made public in May. The report was brutal
in its assessment of HTPD leadership, trashing Chief Collins for being out of
touch with the public and claiming Zimmer "lacks leadership" and gets no
respect.
Zimmer's position would be dissolved by ordinance, but under civil service
rules, Zimmer could have stayed on the payroll by "bumping down" to a lesser
position, captain. One officer said the difference in pay would have only
been $3,000.
Zimmer was called an "intelligent and experienced manager" in the report, but he
was cited as being overly bureaucratic and "an obstructionist." "Encourage
the chief, deputy chief and all captains to retire as soon as possible," barked
one proposal. The report had input from chairman Albert J. Varga, a
retired Hamilton deputy chief, and former Trenton Deputy Chief Joe Constance.
As soon as the report was issued May 16, Zimmer was said to have gone on
vacation, and never returned to work.
Mayor Bencivengo didn't attend the emergency council meeting. "I think I
had some things that were of more importance, like the death of our deputy
chief," he said. "I think that was quite more important than what the
council meeting had going on today."
He didn't want to discuss that controversial report and its possible effect on
Zimmer.
"I can't get into George Zimmer's mind, nor would I ever speculate about what
was thought about -- I couldn't tell you," the mayor said. "He seemed fine
when I spoke with him. There's nothing I could speculate about." He
said they last talked two or three weeks ago.
"The prayers of our entire community are with the Zimmer family during this very
difficult time," Bencivengo said. "George was a dedicated police officer
who served our community for many years. And he will be absolutely, deeply
missed, by all of those whose lives he touched. There's no doubt about it.
George was a great guy. My heart goes out to the family."
One who didn't mince words was former council candidate John F. Kroschwitz, now
chairman of the Democratic Municipal Committee. Kroschwitz ripped the
Bencivengo administration for fostering "a new level of cronyism" and said
Zimmer's death is "directly attributable to ... the way this administration has
treated people."
And Kroschwitz added, "To go after the police department, and longtime public
servants like Mr. Zimmer, and it results in a tragedy like this, it's just
uncomprehensible, a really human toll. I think it's a terrible tragedy,
and my heart goes out to his family."
But Vinnie Capodanno said Hamiltonians can't blame Mayor Bencivengo or his
former interim business administrator, William Guhl -- who he said tried to
implement "too much, too fast" -- for Zimmer's suicide.
"(Councilwoman) Kelly Yaede was trying to save his job," Capodanno said.
"You can't blame anybody for it. And as much as I didn't like Guhl, as
much as I disagree with the mayor on certain things, I can't blame them for what
happened today. Because the process wasn't really finalized yet."
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides free, 24-hour assistance.
1-800-273-TALK (8255)
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