Hoboken's Top Cop Calls It A Career, Will Retire In July

HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken Police Chief Kenneth Ferrante announced Tuesday that he'd retire in July after 28 years with the department, saying, "The major changes in law enforcement occurring over these next 6 months (i.e. body cams, marijuana legalization ... use of force reboot) need someone who can dedicate the next several years in ensuring those changes happen as best as possible."

Ferrante, who saw crime decrease in the mile-square city during his seven years as chief, has not shied away from law enforcement controversies, having penned an essay in the Philadelphia Inquirer last month, "Every Good Cop Felt Relief At Chauvin Verdict."

During his time on the force, Ferrante gained fans outside the region for live-Tweeting Hoboken's notorious bar crawls, including SantaCon. NBC called the Tweets "hilarious," such as this one:

"I have proudly served this city and loved every second of it," he wrote Tuesday. "In fact, my father retired Captain Fred Ferrante and I served for a combined 60 plus years at the HPD. For the past 9 years, I have not disconnected from work, not one day."

He also Tweeted on Tuesday:

Mayor Ravi Bhalla said Tuesday, "Over the past seven years, Chief Kenneth Ferrante has demonstrated a commitment to the city of Hoboken and to the profession of law enforcement that has been second to none. The greatest achievement of any police chief is to leave a community safer than when they came into the position, and that is precisely what Chief Ferrante has accomplished."

He also thanked him for his work during the pandemic: "I’ll be forever grateful for his partnership during that time."

But, "Beyond the pandemic, Chief Ferrante wrote the playbook for a department reflecting modern, community-based policing, provided more transparency as police chief than any other department in the state, and enacted policies resulting in lower crime statistics in virtually every major category.”

This was the chief's full message Tuesday afternoon:

<blockquote>

<p>

Good afternoon all,

I just got done having a meeting with Mayor Bhalla and then my Command staff, as well as calls with Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez and Hoboken Business Administrator Jason Freeman.

Today I have applied for retirement, effective July 1, 2021.

I have been a police officer for 28 yrs, the Police Chief for the past 7 yrs, and 2 years as OEM Coordinator before that. I have proudly served this city and loved every second of it. In fact, my father Retired Captain Fred Ferrante and I served for a combined 60 plus years at the HPD. For the past 9 years, I have not disconnected from work, not one day and my command staff knows that is not an exaggeration. Over 3000 days straight where every single day I spoke to my command staff and answered emails and calls.

The major changes in law enforcement occurring over these next 6 months (i.e. Body Cams, Marijuana Legalization, Juvenile Justice Reform, Use of Force reboot, Motor Vehicle Pursuit reboot, Police Licensing) needs someone who can dedicate the next several years in ensuring those changes happen as best as possible.

I feel our department has had a very successful 7 years and there is nothing left to accomplish for me personally. From the crime rates, to the arrests rates, to forming the ESU Unit, Waterfront/Parks, Drone Team, to the most important statistic NOT ONE PENNY paid in any civil liability during my tenure, as well as the many other changes over the past seven years. This was a teamwork accomplishment with the combination of the work by me, my Command Staffs, and all of you, and those who have retired in the last seven years.

I am ready to take a little break before my next venture. It has been a pleasure working with all of you. I will be talking to many of you over the next couple days and weeks as I have a lot more to share with you. For now, I have many notifications that need to be made today!...

Stay safe, be alert and watch out for one another!

</blockquote>

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