Top Cop

Mayor Schundler asked Police Chief William Thynne to resign, even though he praised the cop.  Apparently, Chief Thynne investigated shredding of personnel documents in the police department and viewed this as "retaliation."

Chief Thynne and Police Director Michael Moriarty (Moriarty is a strong supporter of Schundler he didn't have the background for the job) have been clashing for the past two years.

A civilian employee in the Fiscal Office reported to Chief Thynne that several documents concerning payroll figures and overtime costs were being shredded by another employee.  This occurred when city finances were being reviewed by state auditors.   It is alleged that these documents could have been evidence to support a $20 million Fair Labor Standards Act violations lawsuit filed against the Police Department and the city by two police unions.

Schundler never had a good relationship with the Police, the unions have brought the city to court many times on unfair labor practices.

Chief Thynne said, "I don't know what they are trying to hide, but it is still an on going investigation by our Special Investigations Unit."

The worker accused of shredding the documents had been transferred from another department without undergoing the routine background check required by the Police Department.

Chief Thynne went before the city council for support. While the city council has always given Schundler what he wanted (the majority ran on his ticket) but now, some council members have expressed desire to run for mayor in 2001.  Thynne received the support of six of the nine council members. Furthermore, about 130 police officers demonstrated with picket signs outside Schuetzen Park in North Bergen for a fund raiser Schundler hosted for Jim Treffinger, a Republican U.S. hopeful.  These actions forced Schundler to rescind his actions against Chief Thynne.

Chief Thynne won; he later changed his mind and retired.  Some people said Chief Thynne felt the job was too stressful.  Perhaps he is too honest to lie and manipulate for Schundler.