Asbury Park Police Chief Mark Kinmon [shown at right] withdrew his retirement papers Wednesday and will be back on the job starting Monday.
“I’m staying on as police chief,” he told the Sun. “I’m going to stay in my position and continue to do all thing things we have been doing.”
Kinmon, 45, has been working in law enforcement for 26 years. He began his work in the city in March of 1990 as a patrol officer and became chief of police in March of 2007. Prior to that, he worked with the sheriff’s office.
He initially announced his plans to retire in June. At the time, Kinmon said his last day at the post would be Dec. 31 but he planned to use nearly three months of accumulated leave time starting Oct. 1.
Reports of Kinmon rescinding his retirement plans first surfaced in September. Mayor Myra Campbell told the Sun Kinmon had called her and at least two other council people to inform them of his decision to withdraw the papers. Just five days later, Kinmon reaffirmed his decision to retire.
As planned, he commenced using the balance of his unused sick time on the first of October. Shortly after Kinmon took leave, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni sent an email to members of City Council urging them to “expeditiously arrive at a decision on who will lead the Asbury Park Police Department.”
Gramiccioni acknowledged the “public back and forth” as to whether Kinmon would continue on as police chief, and advocated on Kinmon’s behalf as to the possibility that if the chief’s contract was able to be extended, he was all for it.
During the month Kinmon had off, he spent time talking to members of the Asbury Park City Council, fellow law enforcement officials and members of the prosecutor’s office who were all highly supportive of his return, he said. Thusly, he was able to think about whether he wanted to come back and came to a clear decision, he said.
“To me, it really wasn’t a whole lot of back and forth,” he said, adding that he never previously committed to a solid decision as to whether he would rescind his papers. “In the end, I’m going to remain in the position,” he said.
Council members Amy Quinn and John Loffredo welcome his return.
“For me, people have rightfully pointed out that there has been a lot of change all at once, and this provides some welcome continuity.” said Quinn.
“I’m glad to hear it,” said Loffredo. “It was the right decision for him to make.”
Councilman John Moor declined to comment on Kinmon’s return, citing it as a personnel issue.
“I don’t talk to papers about personnel issues—I haven’t all along,” he said.
When first reports of Kinmon’s plan to rescind his papers emerged, Councilwoman Henderson told the Sun she agreed it was a good decision at the time. However, Mayor Myra Campbell said she was surprised at the decision, as she had hoped to “to get some fresh, new ideas and innovative programming” in the city.
Looking forward, Kinmon is eager to continue to address the city’s issues with violent crimes, make more of an impact to decrease the shootings and push forward with several projects the city is undergoing in terms of technology and use of cameras, he said.
“It kind of feels like unfinished business,” he said. “So there is a lot to continue with.”
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