Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1920-12-15
Roundsman Calvin is Elected
Over Officer Kozusko by q
Margin of Four Votes.
STATE LAW APPEALED
City to Await Decision of Err
rors Court Before Action is
Taken as to Chief Burke.

In a hotly contested election held
by the members of the local police
department yesterday afternoon to
decide who should represent the de-
partment on the city pension COM
mission, Roundsman William Calvin
was elected over his opponent,
Officer George Kozusko. by a margin
of four votes. The balloting COM
menced at o'clock and continued
until 3:15 O'Clock during which time
iifty-five of the fifty-six police de-
partment members eligible to vote
cast their ballots for either Calvin
or koZusko. OF the fifty-five votes
cast twenty-nine were for Colvin.
twenty-five for Kozusko and one was
rejected. The rejected ballot was
not marked with an *" but instead
one of the candidates names had
been crossed out.
This pension commission is entire
ly new in this city, provision for its
formation having been made in a
law passed this year by the state
legislature. 1t is the same law
which provides that any police
officer who has served twenty years
on the force and attained the age of
sixtyfive shall be retired on half
pay.
There will be three members on
this new pension commission, con-
sisting of Roundsman Calvin, who
was yesterday elected for two years.
the mayor and a private citizen, not
holding any political office, who
shall be chosen by the mayor and
police member of the com mission.
Calvin and Kozusko were nominaf-
ed by the police department MEM
bers last month, according to the
1920 law.
Although there were no "issues''
or platforms" in yesterdays elec-
tion. 1t was generally understood
that kozusko favored the retention
of Chief Patrick ]. Burke despite
the fact that the new police law
pay because of his age. Calvin, on
the other hand, it was said, favored
the fulfilling of the new law. The
voting was close throughout, twen-
ty-eight votes being needed for cleo
ton. When the returns had been
announced the two candidates shook
hands. 1t was the general opinion
at police headquarters that the cleo
ton was to show more than the
members choice for commissioner
but how they stood on the question
of the chiefs being retired as well.
Chapter $50, of this laws of 1920
which provides for the retirement
of police officers over sixty-five years
of age who have served twenty years
ON the force, has been held consti-
tutional by the New Jersey supreme
court in an opinion handed down
by Justice Swayze. The city of
Trenton started a friendly case In
order TO test the constitutionality
Of the law. Although the supreme
court decision upheld the state law.
the city of Trenton has appealed
the case to the court of errors and
appeals. A decision is now being
awaited from this court.
When questioned this morning as
to what steps would be taken in
this city to enforce the new law,
City Attorney Leo Goldberger said
that no action would be taken, as
far as he know until the decision of
the Court of Errors and Appeals
had been handed down. This deci-
sion, he said, should be announced
before January I in which case il
will be possible to name a new chief
OF police to take office the first of
next year. Not only Chief Burke
but two other senior officers will be
automatically retired, they being
Sergeant Clarkson Dunham and
Sergeant James Mulliean.