Paterson Press
PATERSON — Detectives Muhammed Dombayci and John Rikowich were so successful at getting guns off Paterson’s streets that they won awards earlier this month from a northern New Jersey law enforcement group.
A day after the awards ceremony, the two of them teamed up with another highly regarded street crimes unit detective, Wisam Salemeh, to arrest a homicide suspect.
But Dombayci, Rikowich, and Salemeh won’t be protecting Paterson much longer.
They are part of a wave of seven Paterson cops who in recent weeks handed in their resignations to take better-paying police jobs in five Bergen County towns — Demerest, Dumont, Englewood, New Milford and Paramus.
The other four departing officers — Jenesis Lavezzari, Kevin Brito, Fernando Saint Hilaire and Malcolm Waite — have been part of the patrol division.
Paterson Press interviewed several of the cops who are resigning. They asked that their names not be attached to their comments, for fear of violating departmental restrictions on speaking to the news media.
“It’s heartbreaking,” said one of the officers about the decision to leave. “I love Paterson. This is a great job. But we’re putting our lives on the line for low pay. It’s not right, it’s not acceptable.”
One officer said he had to give up an apartment and move back in with his mother because his police salary was not big enough to cover his bills. Another cop talked about letting a gym membership...
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