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Municipalities Take Wait And See Approach To Idea Of Camden County Metro Police Division

By David Madden

CAMDEN, N.J. (CBS) - Camden County took control of the Camden City police force this week, but no other municipality in the county has stepped up to join what is the first county police force of its kind in New Jersey.

It took about two years to get the idea to this point.

County freeholder Jeffrey Nash concedes that there's no rush by the three dozen other municipalities to get involved.

"Every township in Camden County is different and we have to defer to the leadership in each of those towns to make a decision that's right for them," says Nash.

The city of Camden was forced by economic necessity, quite frankly, to be first in.

Concerns in other towns center, for the most part, on fears their cops might be sent to Camden in a pinch.

Proponents of such a shared services plan, like Senate President Steve Sweeney, believe once its proven Camden's force works, the regional concept will be embraced in much of the rest of Camden County.

But local officials are still taking a wait and see approach to the idea.

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