Lakewood, NJ - Police Boss On The Way Out

Lakewood, NJ - Al Peters, director of the Lakewood Police Department, confirmed that he is on the brink of losing his job.

The message was delivered in a phone call by Mayor Meir Lichtenstein, Peters said. He declined to elaborate on the reason for Lichtenstein's dissatisfaction. "You should talk to the mayor," said Peters.
Lichtenstein said it was premature to discuss Peters' job status. "We have not met about this as a committee," he said.

There has been talk for weeks around town about Peters being at risk of losing his job. Last weekend the Vaad, a council of Orthodox Jewish civic leaders, issued a political letter that called for changes in town hall.
Ben Heineman, a member of the Vaad, said Wednesday that there is a dissatisfaction within the Orthodox community regarding the Police Department.

The concerns, he said, include what's perceived as heavy-handed ticketing for parking violations downtown, the handling of the assault of an Orthodox woman last summer and a controversial skirmish between a rabbi and police officer. Peters is the third director in four years.