Passaic County Sheriff's officers laid off. Here's how many and why

PASSAIC COUNTY — Seven Passaic County Sheriff's officers were laid off this month, fewer than the 29 that were originally expected to lose their jobs.

The officers' union, PBA Local 197, with the help of county officials, was able to cut down the number of layoffs first to a dozen and eventually to seven in the last few months.

The layoffs were effective July 1, said Passaic County Sheriff's Officer spokesman Bill Maer, who added that one of the seven laid-off officers is in the process of transferring to another department.

Why did the Passaic County Sheriff's Office lay off officers?

Talk of laying off Passaic County Sheriff's Office corrections officers began when the late Sheriff Richard Berdnik was still in office. Berdnik died early this year from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The layoffs are connected to the decision by the county in December 2021 to close its jail and move its inmates to the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack. Since then, the Bergen County jail has been renamed the Bergen County Correction and Rehabilitation Center.

Passaic County opted to shut its jail following the bail reform of 2017, which reduced the jail's population from more than 1,000 at times to less than capacity. With the jail's closing, fewer correctional officers were needed, officials said.

In January, the initial number of expected Passaic County Sheriff Officers to be laid off was 29. A few months later it was fewer than 20 and by July 1, the number was pared to seven, sheriff officials said.

The Sheriff's Office, the county and the union were able to find other positions for most of the officers who had been expected to be laid off in other counties, with many going to Bergen and Hudson counties, said John Welsh, president of the Passaic County corrections officers' union. He said he's hopeful that by early next year, the officers laid off will be in other positions.

"We are talking with the county administrator to see what can be done," Welsh said. "We are hoping with a few retirements (within the Passaic County Sheriff's Office) that the rest can be rehired."

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