Hamburg sergeant resigns

Published Aug 7, 2012 at 5:21 pm (Updated Aug 8, 2012)

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Sgt. Erik Aronson has resigned from the Hamburg Police force.

HAMBURG — Sgt. Erik Aronson spent his last day safeguarding the 1.2-square mile borough of Hamburg on Tuesday, Aug. 7. Resigning after a 10 year stint with the force that began in 2002, Aronson will now be relocating to Maywood Borough in Bergen County.

This resignation, in addition to a retirement slated for this year, will put the Hamburg Police force down two members, which they are now accepting applications to fill.

While Police Director Wayne Yahm had no comment on the reasons for Aronson’s resignation, Councilman Russell Law hinted at Monday night’s borough council meeting that a possible reason was greater advancement potential in the Maywood Borough Police Department.

Law also took time at that meeting to object to the fact that there is no process in place for council members to be notified when borough employees resign. He said that he learned about Aronson’s departure while shopping at Rite Aid and hearing it from a resident.

“I would really like to know when a senior member of this community is leaving,” Law said.

With a better notification system in place, he argued, the mayor and council could try to convince the employee to stay or at least get a chance to say goodbye to them before they leave.

Making changes
In agreement, the council took the first step in creating an ordinance that would require the leading member of each department — whether paid or volunteer — to pass word to the council immediately upon receiving an official letter of resignation.

According to Director Yahm, Aronson was scheduled to earn $80,946 this year. He also noted that the current salary for probationary officers (those new to the force) is $42,515, though there is “a little bit of wiggle room,” depending on circumstances.

Maywood Councilman and liaison to the police department Al Ballerini said that Aronson’s job in Maywood will begin immediately and he will start as a probationary officer at a salary of $45,621. Ballerini introduced Aronson to the public at Maywood’s borough council meeting on July 24 and said that it was a goal of Aronson’s to move away from rural Hamburg and come to a more community-based area like Maywood.

— By Scott Baker