Letters: Freeholder Calls for Transparency Regarding Allegations Against Police Chief

An Open Letter to the Princeton Mayor and Council:

Along with many in the community, I was profoundly shocked to see the reports about Chief Dudeck on Planet Princeton this weekend. I have known Dave Dudeck personally and professionally for many years. I served on Borough Council at the time we appointed him chief of the Borough Police. We selected him both for his long years of experience, and his unifying leadership style. Under Chief Dudeck, the department began to rebuild unit cohesion and refocus attention on protecting and serving the community. I was therefore very surprised that he is accused of creating a hostile work environment.

Above all, I was disappointed that an attempt was made to keep the accusations and the response to those accusations out of the public eye. The chief is no ordinary public servant. He is often the most highly paid official in town. His responsibility, public safety, is the most vital service we provide. Who serves as chief is very much public business. If a chief is to be dismissed, the public deserves to know why.

Therefore, in the interest of transparency and the public interest, I call upon you to release the allegations to the public. If the allegations, under scrutiny, are revealed to be well-documented and substantiated, the public will understand the actions you take. If these allegations are deemed without merit, then your actions will only seem to be aiding and abetting the circumstances that have created the “revolving door” post that the job of Princeton chief appears to have become.

Yours respectfully,

Andrew Koontz

Mr. Koontz is a Mercer County Freeholder and a former Princeton Borough Councilman.