Camden Police Chiefs Quit Countywide Police Department Plan

CAMDEN, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A group of police chiefs has backed away from a bid to create New Jersey's first countywide police department.

The Camden County Police Chiefs Association said the county's freeholder board was making decisions about the force without consulting with a committee in charge of planning the department.

County freeholder director Louis Cappelli said the group's decision to quit shows that its members are more interested in protecting their jobs and departments than the taxpayers.

Cappelli has said that a county police force would offer compensation packages below what police currently get. And he said no more than half the officers from any current local force would be able to join a countywide department.

Under his plan, towns would get to decide whether to join the unified force.

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