In a stunning and possibly unprecedented move, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop announced today that he is removing Police Chief Robert Cowan as head of the city's police department.

In a letter to Cowan dated today, Fulop cites low morale on the police force, Cowan's "refusal" to implement "structural changes" sought by the Fulop administration and a growing number of lawsuits accusing Cowan of political retaliation as reasons for the change, which takes effect in 20 days.

Fulop's move, which he says is the first of "several" planned administration changes, comes less than nine months after Cowan was sworn-in as chief of the roughly 800-member police force, and just about a year after Fulop became mayor.

It also comes on the heels of a bloody weekend in Jersey City, one that has residents fearful of a repeat of last year's summer of violence. A 23-year-old man became the city's

on Sunday, and yesterday afternoon, a police officer

on Ege Avenue.

In

, the mayor told Cowan that the city "cannot move forward" with him at the helm of the police force.

"We have also grown concerned with the number of lawsuits filed against your office for retaliation," the letter reads. "As a part of this concern and compounding it are the continued assertions by the collective bargaining units representing your subordinates that they are unable to work with you."

Cowan could not immediately be reached to comment.

State law permits mayors of cities with populations over 150,000 to remove police chiefs from office with 20 days' written notice. A supermajority of the City Council can vote to overturn the mayor's decision, but with so many Fulop allies on the council, such an action is unlikely.

It's unclear what Cowan's future with the police department is, or who his interim replacement will be. A 34-year veteran of the force, Cowan was a deputy police chief before Fulop promoted him last year, and Fulop's letter says Cowan will return to that position in 20 days.

Though the uniformed head of the police force, Cowan reports to James Shea, director of the city's public-safety department.

Cowan, known as "Bubba," was a big Fulop supporter during his bid to become Jersey City's mayor last year. Campaign finance records show Cowan gave $500 to Fulop's campaign, while members of the chief's family gave an additional $1,840.

Cowan moved back to Jersey City with his wife a full year before Fulop became mayor, with sources telling The Jersey Journal that he expected that Fulop would win and that he would lead the police department.

His honeymoon as police chief was short-lived. He has been dogged by accusations of political retaliation since he took over in October. Officers have filed at least three separate lawsuits since then alleging that Cowan reassigned them as political retribution, claims Fulop's office has either denied or refused to discuss.

In one suit, Sgt. Anthony Musante alleges Cowan asked to meet him at 3 a.m. near a cemetery in December to berate him for being involved in an apparent internal affairs investigation of Cowan.

In another suit, officers allege Cowan threatened to "ruin them" for opposing them.

Sources tell The Jersey Journal that, outside of a major scandal, it's unprecedented for a Jersey City mayor to demote a police chief, especially after only nine months on the job.



Carmine Disbrow, head of one of the local police unions, told The Jersey Journal that he hadn't heard about Cowan's removal and couldn't comment on it. Disbrow said he was on his way to a meeting with Shea.

Ward C Councilman Rich Boggiano said he was informed about the change today via an email from Fulop's office. Boggiano, a Fulop critic and a retired police detective, said Cowan's removal as chief raises questions.

"What are they going to do? Is he leaving? Retiring? Or is he going to stay on?" Boggiano said. "I wish him all the luck in the world."

The City Council tonight is scheduled to vote on a new table of organization for the police department that Fulop says "will provide clarity" and "eliminate politics."

In an interview with The Jersey Journal yesterday, Fulop hinted that he wasn't happy with the direction the police department is taking, citing the numerous lawsuits that mayor said he takes "personally.

"We've had a lot of conversations about it," Fulop said yesterday morning. "We're exploring all our options there."

He added: "We've tried to change the culture here and it doesn't happen overnight."