Edison, NJ – In a meeting Wednesday night, just under 100 members of the Edison PBA Local 75, out of a total of 199, voted by a show of hands to endorse Mayor Sam Joshi for re-election despite the sexual assault allegations that have been made against him. The endorsement, however, may not carry the weight it once did, as over 80% of the department now resides outside Edison Township and cannot cast a vote for Joshi in the June primary.
The meeting, held at the VFW, saw a notable presence of high-ranking police officials, including the Police Chief, command staff, and Internal Affairs officers. Their prominent positioning at the front of the room raised eyebrows among some attendees, who questioned whether their presence influenced the outcome of the vote.
“It felt like they were there to make sure things went Joshi’s way,” one officer, who wished to remain anonymous, commented. “With so few members who actually live and vote in Edison, it makes you wonder why they pushed so hard for this endorsement.”
“So many residents have told me they don’t feel safe with all the home invasions, break ins and car thefts. They see inflatable cops in police vehicles that haven’t been moved in weeks, an empty police trailer on Oak Tree road and they don’t feel safe” said Councilman Rich Brescher who spoke with PBA members prior to their endorsement of Mayor Joshi.
“I have the greatest respect and admiration for those who serve in our police department. At the same time I also believe we need several reforms to make Edison safe. I know it wasn’t a message that will win me votes in that room but it was important for me to speak the truth” said Brescher.
“Part of my message was that we are going to have to reduce the number of desk jobs and unnecessary extravagances. We need to have officers patrolling the streets not sitting behind a desks. Top brass needs to be held accountable for mismanagement. There are only 8 officers patrolling the entire town on a midnight shift yet Mayor Joshi has a 4 man detail to travel with him, I’ve consulted with many law enforcement professionals and it’s a misappropriation of resources that needs to stop.”
The Edison PBA has a history of not endorsing candidates in elections, letting its members decide who to support. But, with more and more officers living outside Edison, their endorsement in local elections, like the mayoral race, seems out of touch. This has led many members to believe the PBA should have stayed out of local politics altogether, especially given the potential for their endorsement to be misconstrued or to hold less weight with Edison residents.
Critics argue that the show of hands vote and the perceived influence of police leadership cast a shadow over the endorsement’s legitimacy. Some residents have expressed concern that the PBA’s focus should be on representing the interests of its members, rather than aligning itself with a particular political candidate.
The mayoral election, scheduled for June 3rd, is expected to be closely contested. Whether the PBA’s endorsement will sway the vote in Joshi’s favor remains an open question.
Mayor Joshi, Chief of Staff Bob Diehl, Councilman Patil and representatives of the PBA and SOA did not respond to request for comment.
