Lt. Paterson: Rumson's Acting Chief

In a few days, you can call him “acting chief.”

That’s the title Rumson Police Lt. Scott Paterson will officially gain as of Oct. 1, when 25-year force veteran Chief Richard Tobias' retirement takes hold and he steps down from his post.

The Borough Council passed a resolution officially giving Paterson the title and appointment at its Tuesday meeting.

Paterson, a 20-year borough police veteran, was chosen as Tobias’ successor in the summer, but he will not assume the chief title until the borough’s reorganization on New Year's Day, January 2013.

Paterson on Aug. 1, after he was chosen as the next chief, was named “officer in charge” since Tobias was still technically chief. However, Tobias was no longer physically on the job at the department because he had "accrued enough sick/vacation time to stay on the books until Oct. 1" and an "officer in charge" needed to be designated, Mayor John Ekdahl had said.

Ekdahl had called Paterson the perfect person for the job and called the other candidates stellar contenders.

Rumson is what is referred to as a chief's town. What that means is that, in those towns, police promotion processes are not subject to civil service rules, which primarily base eligibility for promotion on seniority.

Patch will be reaching out to Paterson for a story on his history and future at the Rumson Police Department.