Three newly hired Dumont police officers, including the son of a former councilman, will begin training at the Bergen County Police Academy later this summer.

Eric Abrahamsen Jr. was among the new recruits approved by the borough council on June 17.

He will be beginning on the force about four months after his father, Councilman Eric Abrahamsen, resigned his seat.

The former councilman, who served as police commissioner, recused himself from votes that involved the hiring of the three new officers.

Mayor Matthew McHale said all of the department’s hirings were "100 percent rock solid in compliance with our ethics and anti-nepotism laws."

"Not only Eric Abrahamsen but the other two candidates are highly qualified individuals that we are happy to have serving as members of the Dumont police force," he said.

McHale pointed out that the other two recruits both have local roots in the Dumont community.

Officer Richard Correa’s mother, Barbara, serves on the board of education; and his father, Richard, serves as chairman of the Dumont Recreation Commission.

The mayor then said that the other recruit, Martin Lisanti, has spent several years working as a dispatcher for the borough.

"Anytime we find qualified individuals that have strong and deep roots to the community, they need to be given serious consideration to join the Dumont Police Department and the larger Dumont municipal family," he said.

"Dumont is a very small community," the mayor said, "and we have a long-standing tradition of family involvement in both a volunteer capacity and also in taking the lead in municipal services."

McHale also said that the real issue with any new hires is that they put their "concern for the community first."

Police Chief Brian Venezeio said the latest hirings bring the department to 35 members and up to full strength.

With regard to the hiring of Abrahamsen, the chief was quoted in an earlier report as saying that the police department followed "our hiring ordinance to the letter,"

"The councilman’s son came out on our list of eligible candidates," he said.