JACKSON, N.J. — Elenor Hannum, a leading voice in the local organization Citizens United to Protect Our Neighborhoods (CUPON), publicly opposed the recent establishment of a new oversight position within the Jackson Police Department. Hannum criticized an improper vote conducted by the local police union, alleging that members of Jackson’s Policemen’s Benevolent Association (PBA) 168 made the decision using an informal show-of-hands vote rather than a formal process.
Hannum, now running for council has filed a tort claim seeking $500,000 in damages from the township and pledges to defund the police department and eliminate the position of Public Safety Director.
The position, titled the Director of Public Safety, is intended to oversee and evaluate the police department’s effectiveness and operations. Joseph Candido, a long-serving Jackson police officer, was appointed to the role, focusing on public safety initiatives, traffic regulation, and officer training programs…