Police ‘are not to be feared,’ Morristown’s first Black chief declares on historic New Year’s Day

Darnell Richardson takes ceremonial oath as Morristown's first Black police chief, at Morristown council reorganization, New Year's Day, 2022. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
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Morristown’s first Black police chief took the oath of office on New Year’s Day in a school auditorium full of family, friends and dignitaries, who rose as one to applaud the historic moment.

Acknowledging African American officers who mentored and inspired him, Darnell Richardson laid out his vision for the 52-person police bureau.

“Our job as police officers is to break down the barriers and get people to understand that we are not to be feared. We are here to protect and serve the citizens of Morristown and those`who visit,” said Richardson, 54.

Video: Darnell Richardson is sworn in as Morristown police chief:

The milestone came during an hour-long council reorganization that also saw Mayor Tim Dougherty sworn in for a fourth term. Declaring 2022 the “Year of Resilience,” he emphasized the downtown’s vibrancy despite the pandemic.

Big Four accounting firm Deloitte plans to move its New Jersey headquarters to the new M Station East building on Morris Street, where construction of a traffic roundabout at Spring Street is scheduled for a spring start, he said.

Valley National Bank should break ground on its new Speedwell Avenue headquarters, and a “live/work” apartment project on Morris Street promises housing for people with special needs.

Superior Court Judge Vij Pawar swears in Mayor Tim Dougherty to a fourth term as his wife Mary holds Bible, at Morristown council reorganization, New Year’s Day, 2022. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

Improvements are anticipated for several parks, including Lidgerwood, future home of the Saint Elizabeth University baseball team. The administration also plans a half-million dollars of flood mitigation projects, and is hatching a climate change policy, Dougherty said.

Saluting the flag at the Morristown council reorganization, New Year’s Day, 2022. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
‘GODSENDS’ FOR A ‘CHALLENGING TIME’

But Omicron is a reminder the pandemic is far from over, continued the mayor, who ordered masking inside town businesses and venues, effective this past Christmas Eve.

“I recognize that while we have much to celebrate, we remain in a challenging time in our community, and there are those that still struggle financially, physically and mentally,” Dougherty said.

He praised community partners Atlantic Health (Morristown Medical Center) and the Zufall Health Center as “godsends.”

Video: Mayor declares 2022 ‘Year of Resilience’:

The mayor’s remarks began on a somber note, with a remembrance of his late friend and speechwriter Michael Fabrizio, who died last June. But Dougherty also had upbeat news: He’ll become a grandfather this year.

Sandi Mayer, left, is sworn in as council vice president, accompanied by Council Members Tawanna Cotten and Toshiba Foster, at Morristown council reorganization, New Year’s Day, 2022. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

Another mayoral friend, Superior Court Judge Vij Pawar, administered the oaths of office. Pawar was appointed to the bench last summer, after serving for years as town attorney and a political adviser to Dougherty.

Also sworn in Saturday at the Thomas Jefferson School: Dougherty’s Democratic council slate of Toshiba Foster (third term) and David Silva (second term) and newcomer Nathan Umbriac.

Umbriac’s 2-year-old daughter Stefania provided comic relief when she grew impatient for her daddy to start his first term. Exercising judicial restraint, Judge Pawar refrained from proclaiming “Order in the court!” during the oath ceremony.

Video: Hurry up, Daddy!

Monsignor John Hart, pastor of Assumption Church, also got laughs, crooning Tom Jones hits before delivering a solemn invocation.

By unanimous votes, the council re-elected Third Ward Councilman Stefan Armington as its president and tapped Fourth Ward Councilwoman Sandi Mayer as vice president.

The council also unanimously approved several mayoral appointments.

Town Administrator Jillian Barrick, Chief Financial Officer Frank Mason, Public Safety Director Michael Corcoran Jr. and Code Enforcement Director Alfonso A. Chieffo will serve for the next four years. David Minchello returns as town attorney.

Town Engineer Anthony DeVizio and Vital Statistics Registrar Angela Swanston got three-year reappointments, and the council named Steffanie Morales deputy clerk, also for three years.

And council meetings will be virtual “until such time that in-person meetings may resume,” according to a resolution adopted by the governing body.

Msgr. John Hart delivers invocation at Morristown council reorganization, New Year’s Day, 2022. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

The vaccinated, masked audience included a stand-in for Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-11th Dist.), state Assemblywoman Aura Dunn (R-25th Dist.), Morris County Sheriff James Gannon, and county Surrogate Heather Darling.

Also attending: A.J. Oliver, embattled chairman of the Morristown Democratic committee. Party leaders voted last month to oust Oliver over his anti-abortion activism.

Oliver told Morristown Green on Saturday he intends to serve out his term, which runs until June 2023.

A PLEDGE

Conspicuously absent on New Year’s Day: Uniformed officers. There was no sea of blue, as customarily seen at police promotion ceremonies before the council in town hall.

Richardson stepped in as acting chief in December 2018, and served in that role during a turbulent period of deteriorating relations between the bureau and administration. PBA Local 43, representing rank-and-file officers, filed a grievance accusing the town of delaying testing for a permanent chief.

A Civil Service test finally was scheduled for the fall of 2021. Richardson, a 1986 Morristown High grad, took the exam, and quietly was promoted to police chief on Dec. 13Barrick, the town administrator, has declined to discuss details. She said Saturday was a day to celebrate.

“We’re excited to have Darnell as police chief,” Barrick said. “We’re very happy for him.”

Police chiefs from Mt. Olive and Wharton, representing the Morris County police chiefs association, came to show support for Richardson.

So did Fire Chief Mike Nunn of the Morris Township Fire Department, where Richardson has served as a volunteer since 1998, attaining the rank of captain.

Richardson’s wife Nicole and sons Noah and Conor were by his side for Saturday’s ceremony.

Police Chief Darnell Richardson is sworn in, accompanied by sons Noah and Conor and his wife Nicole, at Morristown council reorganization, New Year’s Day, 2022. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

“As your chief, I commit to serving the post and leading the men and women of the Morristown bureau of police with the highest level of integrity, professionalism, excellence, transparency and compassion,” Richardson told the crowd.

Dougherty said his first experience with Richardson followed an explosion at the Morristown & Township Library in May 2010.

“I saw his leadership capability then, and how he directed a very bad situation and got it under control,” the mayor said.

Mayor Tim Dougherty chats with newly promoted Police Chief Darnell Richardson after Morristown council reorganization, New Year’s Day, 2022. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

That impression was reinforced by Richardson’s emergency management operations during Tropical Storm Irene and Superstorm Sandy. “So I know the town of Morristown is going to be in great hands,” Dougherty said of the new chief.

Richardson dated his first interaction with police to April 1967, when Officer Jay Whyte drove Richardson’s mother to the hospital for his birth. As chief in 1989, Whyte hired Richardson.

In between those pivotal events, Richardson and his boyhood pals were greeted on Cobb Place by a cop who asked them what they wanted to be when they grew up.

“I said, ‘a police officer,'” Richardson recounted. “I stuck with that.”

 

Nathan Umbriac is sworn to his first term, accompanied by his wife Jessica and kids Sierra, Joaquin and Francesco. Daughter Stefania, 2, appears to have other holiday plans, at Morristown council reorganization, New Year’s Day, 2022. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Stefania Umbriac, 2, is impatient for her daddy, Nathan Umbriac, to start his first term as a councilman, at Morristown reorganization, New Year’s Day 2022. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

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3 COMMENTS

  1. Maybe not feared, but avoided as much as possible. They are not your friends and they don’t have your best interests in mind. Any encounters should be video recorded. If you call them for friends and family, the outcome could be disasterous. Many will violate your civil rights if they can. You only have to show ID for driving violations (not if you’re a passenger) or if they can articulate reasonable suspicion that you are about to, are committing, or are about to commit a crime. And only a fool talks to the police when they are suspected of a crime.

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