Wearing blue, dozens Cherry Hill Police officers stood silently in the back of a township meeting Monday as the people they protect fought for their jobs.
The Camden County town is facing an $8 million deficit for the next budget year meaning someone's got to go and 12-16 officers may just be the cure.
"I would like to be able to hold onto all of them," Cherry Hill Mayor Bernie Platt said.
Platt says the police -- with 135 officers on the force -- are the only municipal laborers to have a contract that's up for negotiation, which means they can make the cuts without violating agreements.
"We've had three layoffs in the past two and a half, three years, and the police department has never been touched," Platt says.
While that may be true, residents are angry with the township for even letting such a scenario become an option.
"When it comes to building the artificial turf soccer fields and things like that, that we spent a lot of money on and now we don’t have money to pay for our police," one man lectured.
"This wouldn't have to take place if you had not already squandered millions of our tax dollars," said another woman.
FOP president Tim Tedesco says they're willing to work with the township on their open contract to ensure cuts aren't made. But as of yet, Cherry Hill offered any suggested concessions.
"We'd like to be part of the solution, not part of a problem," Tedesco said.
The township did say other unions have contributed more money towards benefits in past negotiations. The union says it's willing to negotiate to save jobs, but can't until an offer's on the table.
If both sides fail to reach a cost-saving agreement by June 30, the most recent hires will be out.
