What goes through a soon-to-be laid off police officer's mind

CAMDEN, NJ — Officer John Martinez couldn't sleep Monday night. With 10 years on the Camden Police Department, Martinez, 38, was halfway to a pension. His wife is three months pregnant.

Hours before he was to turn in his badge, reality had sunk in.

"When a doctor is laid off, he's still a doctor. He just doesn't have a hospital anymore," the Haddon Township resident said. "But when a cop is laid off, he's nothing."

"I'm still in a state of disbelief," he said, digging his hands into the pockets of his SWAT sweatshirt.

He has no college education. He has never learned any other job skills. He has never worked as a carpenter or electrician.Martinez has talked to other big-city police departments, but they have told him they want recruits 35 or younger. Martinez chased a career he loved, and now he was apologizing for it.

Ten members of the 21-person SWAT unit were losing their jobs. The men are like brothers to Martinez. "I trust them with my life," he said.

Now they talked of mortgages and unemployment applications and how, in recent days, patrol cops had seen North Camden corner boys wearing T-shirts that read "1-18-11: We Take Back the Streets."

"God bless you, brother," they told each other.

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Residents fear the city will be overwhelmed by criminals: "They’ll be coming into the houses," he said. "They know you can’t call the cops. There won’t be any cops to call."