Although Richard Furda has only been chief of police in Plainsboro for three years, passing the 25-year service mark means it is time to step aside, just as his predecessor did. Furda replaced Elizabeth Bondurant, who retired in the fall of 2008, and this fall it’s Furda’s turn after spending 26 years coming through the ranks in Plainsboro.
In a few weeks the department will be in the hands of Guy Armour, a 17-year veteran of the Plainsboro force who is currently an administrative lieutenant.
Furda was appointed by township Administrator Robert O. Sheehan. He was a lieutenant and 22-year veteran of the force at the time. When Furda took over Bondurant said there would be “a smooth, almost seamless transition” as both chiefs came up through the ranks and were only a few years apart. Bondurant said Furda had the right vision for the department and all the tools to succeed.
Furda graduated from the Middlesex County Police Academy in 1985 and started his career in Plainsboro as a patrolman. Furda worked his way up to detective sergeant and administrative lieutenant before taking over as chief in 2008.
Furda graduated from Mercer County Community College in 1984 and in 1991 he earned a BA in Law and Justice from Trenton State College. Furda earned an MA in Human Services Administration from Rider University in 1994. He later pursued doctoral study and mentorship in Human and Organization Development through an online university.
The new chief, Armour, was not immediately available for an interview.
Plainsboro PD Acquires New Records Management System
Plainsboro will purchase a new computer-aided dispatch and records management system (CAD/RMS) that Chief Richard Furda described as “a quantum leap” in the department’s ability to assist personnel, keep them on the road, and know what police officers are doing.
Data on personnel, calls, and services provided will be stored as well as statistical data that the current system cannot calculate.
“We evaluated a series of CAD systems, and Spillman Technologies [a Utah-based firm] rose to the top. Their program provides us with a myriad of tools that we currently don’t have. We will be able to do automobile accident reports and diagrams from the police cars, even swiping driver’s licenses for E-ticket information,” he said.
Furda explained that the current system was at the end of its useful life and was no longer meeting the department’s needs.
The new system has a price tag of $360,000, according to Jeff Kunz, who handles New Jersey sales and accounts for Spillman. Furda lauded the company, saying Spillman has a 95 percent retention rate and has never been sued for lack of quality. The chief said the new system is known for reliability and will save $21,000 in maintenance costs associated with the current system.
“Spillman also provides us with potential advantages such as longevity. East Windsor has utilized their system for over 20 years without a problem,” he said.
Committeeperson Michael Weaver asked Chief Furda if additional enhancements and other technology might be needed to meet the department’s needs, or if the Spillman system will encompass most capabilities.
“All of the enhancements we were interested in are already included in this software package. We will not need additional equipment or different types of computers, just possible software updates down the road,” he said.
Furda said that Spillman’s program can be customized for many components, but what Plainsboro needed was not the most elaborate model on the market. Furda referred to a $1 million system that Toms River installed as unnecessary for Plainsboro.
