Paramus NJ, At least three (3) individuals were transported by ambulances to nearby hospitals with a variety of injuries following a spectacular crash in which three (3) vehicles slammed into a wall of the Chakra Restaurant at West 144 Route 4, Paramus late Saturday night, 03/24. One (1) of the vehicles flipped over onto its roof prior to hitting the restaurant. A vehicle parked outside of the building was reportedly among those involved. Although the building sustained significant structural damage, all of the injuries were to occupants of the vehicles involved; no one in the restaurant was hurt (all patrons were safely evacuated from the building immediately after impact). A utility pole and fire hydrant were obliterated in the incident. Paramus Police, Fire Department, EMS, and Rescue Squad units responded to the scene along with at least one (1) paramedic team. A mutual aid ambulance was also dispatched to assist with patient transport. The restaurant’s owner was at the scene and was overheard saying that the establishment would likely be closed for several weeks to facilitate necessary repairs.
Paramus NJ, Members of Paramus Fire Department Engine Company #3 quickly extinguished a fast moving brush fire before it extended to a single family home and a detached one (1) car garage in the 400 block of Gregory Road, Paramus on Saturday afternoon, 03/24. No injuries were reported in the blaze, which appeared to have been ignited by sparks from an outdoor fire pit. Paramus Engine Company #1 also responded to the incident.
Hackensack NJ, The Hackensack School District, as well as the mayor of Hackensack John P. Labrosse, Jr. , are working on a plan to increase security at all area schools.
Mayor John Labrosse says the town has a plan being finalized to put retired police officers in every school.The retired officers would be assigned to the middle school, four elementary schools and the pre-K program.
Hackensack High School will continue to be protected by a school resource officer, who is a current Hackensack Police Department member.
The current focus is on funding for the plan.
On March 14th Hackensack High School did not participate in the “student led walkout ” in support of the students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas H.S. in Parkland, Florida , due to a security threat.
HHS Update regarding March 14, 2018
Dear Hackensack School Community,
In response to security concerns brought to the attention of Administration at Hackensack High School earlier today, Tuesday, March 13, the walk-out planned for tomorrow has been cancelled.
Instead, student organizers will share a presentation in support of the students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas H.S. in Parkland, Florida, that will be streamed to all classrooms via the school TV Studio.
The safety of all students and staff is a critical priority. Any potential threat is taken very seriously. As a precautionary measure and to reassure students and staff, there will be an increased police presence at HHS tomorrow, Wednesday, March 14.
We ask all parents/guardians and community members that when you “see something” or “hear something” that concerns you, you need to “SAY SOMETHING.”
Lyndhurst NJ, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo announced the arrest of Sean D. SLATTERY (DOB: 8/29/1982; single; and employed as a laborer) of 93 Stuyvesant Avenue, Second Floor, Lyndhurst, NJ, on charges of Stalking, Cyber-Harassment, and making a False Report to Law Enforcement. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Robert Anzilotti.
On Friday, March 16, 2018, members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit received information from the 24-year-old victim and from Sean D. SLATTERY about a series of alarming text messages that were sent to both of them. The ensuing investigation revealed that Sean D. SLATTERY falsified his statements to detectives and was the person who used the Internet to create the alarming and harassing messages, which were designed to appear as if the sender was someone else.
As a result of the investigation, Sean D. SLATTERY was arrested on Tuesday, March 20, 2018 and charged with one count of Stalking, N.J.S.A. 2C:12-10B, a 4th degree crime; one count of Cyber-Harassment, N.J.S.A. 2C:33-4.1A(2), a 4th degree crime; and one count of False or Fictitious Report to Law Enforcement, N.J.S.A. 2C:28-4B(1), a 4th degree crime. Sean D. SLATTERY is scheduled for a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack, NJ on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, at 8:30 A.M.
Acting Prosecutor Calo states that the charges are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and would like to thank the Lyndhurst Police Department, which lends support to the Cyber Crimes Task Force and whose personnel assisted with this investigation.
Hackensack NJ, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo announced today the results of “Operation Helping Hand 4” – the fourth phase of an innovative law enforcement and public health initiative targeting the heroin and opioid crisis in Bergen County. The initiative was led by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office (“BCPO”), under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Calo and Chief of Detectives Robert Anzilotti, in coordination with Bergen County Executive James J. Tedesco III and Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino. Held from March 12 through 16, 2018, the initiative brought together Bergen County law enforcement from 30 agencies, Recovery Specialists from Children’s Aid and Family Services, clinicians and specialists from the Bergen County Department of Health Services, Division of Addiction Services, and professionals from New Bridge Medical Center to offer help to those suffering from the disease of addiction in Bergen County.
During the initiative, 37 individuals were arrested and brought to the BCPO to be processed. After they were issued summonses, largely for heroin possession, they were offered an opportunity to speak to a Recovery Specialist – a recovering addict, who has been clean and is trained to help them find treatment. This offer of help was in addition to, not in lieu of, criminal charges.
If the individual requested help, a trained clinician from the Bergen County Division of Addiction Services assessed him/her to determine the appropriate level of care and treatment needed. The clinicians, working closely with the Recovery Specialists and representatives from New Bridge Medical Center, then made arrangements for treatment, and law enforcement transported the individual to treatment.
Of the 37 individuals arrested during Operation Helping Hand 4, 19 have so far availed themselves of the treatment option, including 12 who are currently in 5-day detox programs, mostly at New Bridge Medical Center. As those individuals complete detox, longer-term treatment options are being arranged for them and their progress is being tracked by the Recovery Specialists. For those who did not avail themselves of treatment, the Recovery Specialists remain in touch with many of them and are prepared to offer help whenever they are ready to seek it.
A multi-jurisdictional task force comprised of law enforcement officers from the following agencies, under the direction of BCPO Chief Anzilotti, participated in the initiative: Bergen County Sheriff’s Office; Bergenfield Police Department; Cliffside Park Police Department; Clifton Police Department; Dumont Police Department; East Rutherford Police Department; Englewood Police Department; Elmwood Park Police Department; Fair Lawn Police Department; Garfield Police Department; Glen Rock Police Department; Hackensack Police Department; Lyndhurst Police Department; Mahwah Police Department; Morris County Prosecutor’s Office; New Milford Police Department; Norwood Police Department; Paramus Police Department; Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office; Paterson Police Department; Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; Ridgefield Park Police Department; Saddle River Police Department; Tenafly Police Department; Union County Prosecutor’s Office; Upper Saddle River Police Department and the Westwood Police Department.
Statistics compiled by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office indicate an increase in opioid use and drug overdoses in Bergen County from 2016 to the present. A preliminary analysis of overdose data by the BCPO Intel Unit and Narcotics Task Force revealed the following with respect to 2017:
507 total reported overdoses, 416 of which are currently identified as heroin/opioid-related.
Of the 308 reported overdoses, 131 were fatal overdoses; 111 of those were identified as heroin/opioid-related.
325 deployments of Narcan, the overdose reversal drug, by law enforcement officers, resulting in 245 lives saved. (Note: there were many other deployments – by parents, friends, family members, EMTs and in the ER that are not accounted for in this )
Acting Prosecutor Dennis Calo stated that “Operation Helping Hand 4 is part of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and Bergen County law enforcement’s continuing effort to combat the opioid epidemic and help those who are affected by it. The Operation demonstrates the close cooperation of law enforcement, County government and Bergen County social service organizations in the fight against this epidemic and the results that are possible through that cooperation. We will continue the fight.”
Acting Prosecutor Calo would like to thank the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, the Bergen County Executive, New Bridge Medical Center, Children’s Aid and Family Services, the Bergen County Department of Health Services, Division of Addiction Services, as well as all the participating law enforcement agencies for their assistance with this initiative.
Independent Auditor Was Unable to Determine What Happened to $33 Million in State & Federal Grants, Said $475,000 in County Funds “Unlocated”
March 23, 2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ,Senator Kristin M. Corrado (R-40) said a new document provided by the non-partisan Office of Legislative Services (OLS) raises questions about financial irregularities that occurred during Acting Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio’s time in local government that will need to be answered at her confirmation hearing on Monday.
Sen. Kristin Corrado said that Acting Treasurer Muoio must answer questions at her confirmation hearing about missing and mishandled money during her time as a Mercer County Freeholder. (SenateNJ.com)
“The Senate Judiciary Committee has a responsibility to carefully vet gubernatorial nominees to confirm that they’re qualified and fit for the office to which they’ve been appointed,” said Corrado, a member of the committee. “During our routine research into Acting Treasurer Muoio’s time as a Mercer County Freeholder, we were disturbed to learn that the county could not account for the receipt or appropriate use of $33 million of state and federal grants. Further, we were shocked to learn that hundreds of thousands of dollars went missing, which an independent auditor was unable to locate. Given Acting Treasurer Muoio’s indication to the Judiciary Committee that she worked ‘closely’ on budgets during her time in local office, we’d like to know if she can explain these financial discrepancies that occurred on her watch.”
The OLS memo includes a 2003 audit in which an independent auditor noted “an inability of management” at Mercer County at that time to reconcile accounts receivable, including nearly $22 million of grants authorized by the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) and more than $11.4 million from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The auditor noted that it was “unable to confirm these accounts receivable” or the assignment of grants to “specific projects approved” by the FAA, or, apparently, the NJDOT.
Corrado said these financial irregularities were concerning since the county’s property taxes increased by 86 percent during Muoio’s time working on the Mercer County budget.
“I’m concerned that during Acting Treasurer Muoio’s time managing Mercer County’s money, tens of millions in grants couldn’t be accounted for, nearly half-a-million dollars went missing, and county property tax bills skyrocketed,” added Corrado. “We need to know if she assumes responsibility for these irregularities, or if she overstated her involvement in managing the county’s fiscal affairs. These are questions that Acting Treasurer Muoio must be prepared to answer.”
Given the massive budget and tax increase proposal recently unveiled by the Murphy Administration, Corrado said it’s important for the Acting Treasurer to explain how her prior experience has prepared her for the responsibility of managing tens of billions of dollars of New Jersey taxpayers’ money.
“We must presume that Acting Treasurer Muoio helped to craft the Governor’s budget proposal, which includes the most spending in New Jersey history and a $1.7 billion tax increase,” Corrado concluded. “New Jersey taxpayers need assurances that the fiscal mismanagement that occurred during her watch in Mercer County won’t be repeated at the New Jersey Treasury.”
Ho Ho Kus NJ, Ho-Ho-Kus Police requested the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office “Quick Response” SWAT Team on Friday afternoon, 03/23, to search for an individual who reportedly made a threat to commit “suicide by cop,” Heavily armed SWAT Team personnel searched a unmarked white van with out of state plates that was parked in the rear of 215 Brookside Avenue, Ho-Ho-Kus with negative results. Ridgewood Police assisted with crowd and traffic control. No explanation was provided as to how the van became a search target.
Ridgewood NJ, Public Service Electric and Gas (PSE&G) crews and contractors will depart for Atlantic County today to help Atlantic City Electric restore power to thousands of customers affected by the fourth nor’easter this month. New Jersey’s largest utility will dispatch 132 electric line and support personnel from different locations throughout its service territory this afternoon. PSE&G already released the nearly 200 out-of-state mutual aid workers it had secured in advance of the storm to assist ACE.
The PSE&G contingent will arrive in Mays Landing, N.J. where workers will receive their assignments from ACE. They are expected to work in ACE’s service territory for the next two days.
“Although our service territory was spared the brunt of this storm, southern New Jersey wasn’t so lucky,” said John Latka, PSE&G senior vice president of electric and gas operations. “We restored power to about 7,300 customers and are now in a position to assist our neighboring utility do the same for their customers. Our employees know how important it is to get the lights back on.”
The PSE&G crews are expected to work 16-hour days to repair damaged electric lines and safely restore power to thousands of customers still in the dark from the recent storm.
ACE reached out for mutual aid — assistance that allows for the sharing of resources such as labor and equipment during emergencies. The hosting utility reimburses for associated costs.
Ridgewood NJ, “Student-led” marches across New Jersey are part of the national March for Our Lives protests for gun control.
According to the Bergen Record ,the Hackensack march will include students from 18 high schools covering 26 municipalities. New Jersey’s first lady, Tammy Murphy, and Rep. Josh Gottheimer, along with other officials and clergy members, will also attend. The groups Ridgewood JOLT, Glen Rock After the March, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and Sandy Hook Promise are also supporting the march.
The “Student-led” protests are slick and well produced with the kids appearing to be nothing more than window dressing .
The focus more and more seems to be on a collection of political wannabes and helicopter parent activist pushing gun control and an anti NRA , anti Trump agenda with school safety being a mere afterthought.
Hawthorne NJ, A Tuesday night, 03/20, rollover crash involving two (2) vehicles on Route 208 northbound near Lincoln Avenue in Hawthorne caused a temporary closure of the highway and resulted in two (2) individuals being transported by ambulance to the hospital. Hawthorne Police, Fire department, and EMS personnel responded and were assisted with traffic control by police officers from Glen Rock Police and Ridgewood Police. A paramedic team from The Valley Hospital assisted Hawthorne EMTs with patient evaluation. Injuries to both victims appeared to have been non life threatening. The rolled over vehicle was removed from the scene by a flatbed tow truck.
Paramus NJ, Traffic on Route 17 northbound in Paramus was slowed to a crawl on Tuesday night, 03/20, after a vehicle crashed into a utility pole and rolled on its side just north of Ridgewood Avenue. The right and center travel lanes of the highway were temporarily shut while emergency crews worked. Two (2) of the vehicle’s occupants were injured; one (1) was transported by ambulance to Hackensack University Medical Center’s main campus; the other occupant refused medical attention. A dog traveling in the vehicle was also slightly injured; arrangements were being made at the scene to transport it to a nearby veterinary clinic. Paramus Police, EMS, FD, and OEM personnel responded to the incident. Tow truck personnel were standing by at the scene to remove the wrecked vehicle but were unable to do so until PSE&G Electric Division workers stabilized the downed utility pole and dangling wires.
West Trenton NJ , Colonel Patrick J. Callahan has announced a commercial vehicle travel ban due to the anticipated severity of the impending nor’easter.
Effective tonight, Tuesday, March 20, at 8:00 p.m., there will be a commercial vehicle travel ban for the entire length of following roadways:
· I-78
· I-80
· I-280
· I-287
The commercial vehicle travel ban applies to:
· All tractor-trailers
· Empty straight CDL-weighted trucks
· Passenger vehicles pulling trailers
· Recreational vehicles
· Motorcycles
Trucks already in New Jersey are encouraged to use truck stops or rest areas during the ban. In order for road crews to effectively plow, drivers should not park on shoulders.
Residents and motorists should avoid driving unless you are an essential employee needed for emergency response. If you do not have to be on the roads during the storm, please stay home. If you must go out, drive slowly, fill your gas tank, charge your phone, pack blankets, water and non-perishable food items.
# # #
Follow the New Jersey State Police online at Twitter , Facebook and Instagram . The social media links provided are for reference only. The New Jersey State Police do not endorse any non-governmental websites, companies or applications.
For additional information visit our website at www.njsp.org.
Ridgewood NJ, St. Patrick’s Day would not be complete if law enforcement didn’t put some witty spin on luck of the Irish as it relates to getting behind the wheel of a car after drinking. You’ll get no so such satisfaction here. Daring to be different, we’ll begrudgingly abstain from the all-too-familiar banter you’ll see everywhere else—hopefully. You’ll just have to read on to find out.
Instead, we’ll talk about DWI checkpoints and why you should never get behind the wheel regardless of whether or not it’s a holiday. Let’s first remind everyone that checkpoints are legal here in New Jersey and are used as a deterrent. We strongly recommend ignoring the advice of those who don’t believe this to be true—the people who encourage motorists to not comply with officers at checkpoints. This is not sound advice. If those people follow their own advice, perhaps they can use the gold they procured from an angry leprechaun to pay their fines.
So, with that being said, here are the details:
In an effort to make our roads safer and reduce crashes attributed to driving while under the influence, the New Jersey State Police will set up a sobriety checkpoint on Saturday, March 17, in the area of Belmar Borough and Neptune Township.
If you see a driver you believe is posing a hazard because of poor driving behaviors, please call the aggressive driver tip line from a hands-free mobile device to report it by dialing #77. Be ready to give a description of the vehicle and occupants, a location and direction, and a license plate if possible.
Troopers will be looking for signs of impairment due to alcohol or drugs. If you plan on drinking, have a designated driver, arrange for a taxi or ride share service like Uber or Lyft, or stay where you are. It’s not worth the risk of hurting or killing yourself, a friend, a loved one, or innocent motorist.
Have a safe and happy St. Patrick’s Day, people!
Oakland NJ, Borough of Oakland Police Department report that on March 7th at approximately 2am, several US Post Office collection boxes were broken into and all of the contents inside were stolen. The collection boxes broken into were the two in front of the Oakland branch of the US Post Office, the box at the intersection of Rutgers Drive and Franklin Avenue, and the box at 107 Bauer Drive. Franklin Lakes Police Department is also investigating a similar incident that occurred the same night in front of the Franklin Lakes branch of the US Post Office.
The US Postal Inspector, Oakland Police Department, and Franklin Lakes Police Department are working together to investigate the thefts. If you placed any mail into any Oakland collection boxes immediately prior to these thefts and the contents were payments made by check, we advise you to cancel the checks and report this theft to the US Postal Inspection Service with any documentation supporting the incident. If the checks were already cashed, follow up with the individual or company the check was written to in order to be sure they actually received the payment and not the offender(s) involved in the thefts. If any personal information (date of birth, social security number, driver’s license number, etc.) was included, we encourage residents to respond to their local police department to file an identity theft report and to monitor all accounts and credit bureaus.
Don’t get too excited yet.
#1 It’s an election year.
#2 You haven’t seen the details
#3 You don’t know if they are using borrowing instead of a rate increase
#4 Just because there is no RATE increase doesn’t mean they are collecting the same taxes. Revaluations in a rising market increases the base.
Haven’t heard from Little Josh about the Governors tax increase plan. I know he’s concerned because he came up with a hair brained and deceitful plan to make believe you are paying real estate taxes to a charity.
