Woodlynne Police Department in New Jersey will be disbanded; to be covered by Camden County PD

WOODLYNNE, New Jersey (WPVI) -- The Woodlynne Police Department in New Jersey will be disbanded in the coming weeks.

Woodlynne has less than 3,000 residents and is less than a quarter square mile.

Officials say the policing is nowhere near the standard that it should be, and within the next few weeks, Camden County's police force will be taking over.

Emily Silva is a lifelong Woodlynne resident.

"I don't really see any police officers now," she said when asked about local policing.

And she says she'd like to see more patrolling in her small South Jersey borough.

"Someone got shot right in front of my house. It's too much!" Silva said.

Soon, Woodlynne police officers will disappear altogether, as the department disbands.

"A police department in Woodlynne is no longer sustainable. There are currently three full-time officers," said Camden County Commissioners Director Louis Cappelli Jr. during a news conference on Thursday morning.

Camden County officials say the borough doesn't have the manpower or infrastructure to operate as an accredited agency after September 1.

So the Camden County Police Department will take over, which currently serves the city of Camden.

Woodlynne's current public safety director will leave as of August 15.

"The prosecutor's office asked me to come up with an operational plan. I really sat there for three days and looked at it and there was no option," said Woodlynne Public Safety Director Edwin Ramos.

"The current situation is scary," said Camden County Police Chief Gabriel Rodriguez. "We're going to be supplementing patrols, hiring new officers and rolling out some new initiatives in Woodlynne."

Officials cited a lack of officer evaluations, training, and investigative duties that were treated as "an afterthought."

Woodlynne has been the target of two recent lawsuits -- both alleging misconduct by a police officer. While county officials say these lawsuits are not the cause of the department's dissolution, it does point to a lack of training.

"I feel like it's needed. I feel like we need a change," said Woodlynne resident Ciro Hill.

While some residents welcome the new agency, others are skeptical.

"I'm not really sure about it. It's like Camden cops aren't really reliable to me personally," said Olivia Grant of Woodlynne, adding that she prefers the officers she knows.

Officials did say the current Woodlynne officers have applied for positions with Camden County, and if possible they would like to station them here in Woodlynne.

The mayor of Woodlynne was not at Thursday's announcement.

Action News reached out to him for comment but we have yet to hear back.

County officials say a community meeting will be held in the near future to allow residents to ask questions. No date has been set.