Camden City Council has approved the plan to lay off the city's entire police department to make way for a new county-run force.
Council members unanimously voted to dissolve Camden's 270-officer department.
Officials say many current officers could end up on the new force which is expected to have 400 members.
Mayor Dana Redd says it's the best move for the residents of Camden.
The layoffs are expected to take effect April 30. Police Chief Scott Thompson said about the transition, "The county police department is going to be standing up an organization while the Camden City Police Department is still in existence." Thompson added, "So at no point and time are we going to lay off officers before the other organization is up and running."
Critics of the decision call it a union-busting move.
Camden ended 2012 with a record 67 homicides.
