JUNE 6, 2015, 1:56 PM LAST UPDATED: SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2015, 1:56 PM
BY JOHN SEASLY
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
RIDGEWOOD — An confrontation with an armed, possibly suicidal man that summoned local police and Bergen County SWAT team officers was brought under control without injury, Police Chief John Ward said.
Officers turned out in force after Ridgewood police received a report of a potentially suicidal man in possession of a firearm at 160 South Maple Ave. just before noon, Ward said.
Ridgewood and Glen Rock police, county SWAT and the Community Emergency Response Team evacuated some people from nearby homes.
A hostage negotiator was able to make contact with the man, who is in his early 20s, and police were able to take him into custody without incident, Ward said. A firearm was recovered and the incident remains under investigation.
The 2nd Annual Michael Feeney’s Best Day Ever will be held on Saturday, June 6th on BF Field at 337 North Van Dien Avenue from 10-3. We are kicking off the day with a Color Fun Run, then a balloon and butterfly release, followed by a huge carnival. Attractions include carnival games, a rock wall, bouncy castles, face painting, crafts, and Photo Booth. Food and drinks will be available for sale. The event will run from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Proceeds donated to Michael Feeney’s Best Day Ever, Inc will benefit the following organizations: Go for the Goal Foundation, The Chief Michael Feeney Junior Police Academy and JDRF. Funds will also be used to create some best days for sick children and their families. Registration is now open on Community Pass. https://register.communitypass.net/ridgewood. Pre-registration is $20 per person, $50 per family. Entrance at the door is $25 per person, $70 per family. If you cannot attend, donations are happily accepted on Community Pass as well. This event was created to honor the memory of Michael Feeney who succumbed to Ewing’s Sarcoma on November 29, 2013 after a 4-year battle. He was 10 years old. This event is truly created with Michael in the details. From the food, to the games, to the music, to the charitable donations, there is nothing here that would not make Michael happy. It will be a fun and rewarding time for all involved. Michael Feeney’s Best Day Ever, Inc is a registered non-profit 501(c) 3 charity. Please contact Jill Feeney at [email protected] with any questions. We hope you can attend.
Ridgewood NJ , As part of our Community Policing /Homeland Security Public – Private Partnership initiative, the Ridgewood Police Department in conjunction with NJ Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness hosted a Security Awareness program on Wednesday 5/27/15.
The program, Security Awareness and Vigilance for Everyone (S.A.V.E.) brought together approximately 55 law enforcement, public safety and security personnel from the region. The training is designed to enhance the capabilities of security and public safety personnel responsible for protecting specific areas of infrastructure by providing behavior assessment screening training.
It is a goal of our department to develop and enhance community security & safety through the integration of these public/private partnerships and joint trainings into our overall community policing and homeland security activities.
MAY 28, 2015, 11:52 AM LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2015, 12:55 PM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
RIDGEWOOD — George Washington Middle School was temporarily on lockdown Thursday morning after a prank phone threat village police are investigating as a “swatting” incident.
The call to the school on Ridgewood’s Washington Place was received by school official just before 10 a.m.
The caller, according to a number of sources, claimed that a shooter was on the school’s roof. School officials immediately ordered a lockdown of each classroom.
Police also notified officials at nearby West Side Presbyterian Church, which operates a nursery school that went into lockdown.
Responding officers from Ridgewood, Midland Park, Glen Rock and Wyckoff searched the middle school building, including the roof, and determined the call to be a hoax by 10:30 a.m.
It was the fifth such incident in North Jersey since March of what has become known as swatting, in which false reports are made to elicit the response of police swat units.
Ridgewood Police Chief John Ward confirmed Thursday’s call was a “swatting,” but would not discuss the specific nature of the threat made against the school.
The Ridgewood Police Department (RPD) has chased a bear up a tree on Highland Avenue. RPD is working with the NJ Department of Fish and Wildlife to handle this situation appropriately.
The current approach is to continue to station officers with the bear until nighttime when we will wait for the bear to descend from the tree. We have decided to wait until nighttime as the area is abuzz with barbecues and activity and do not want this to be disrupted. We will have an RPD unit monitor the bear’s location as best as possible going forward.
To resolve this incident, the most important thing residents in the area can do is not to have garbage out (this bear was in our community to eat) and to take bird feeders in.
Going forward as a community we need collectively to take measures to discourage bears from wandering into Ridgewood. It is really imperative that garbage is secured – rifling through the garbage to find food is the primary reason that bears come into residential neighborhoods. The existence of bird feeders is also a problem and attracts wildlife such as bears. More information on bears and what residents can do can be found at the NJ Department of Fish and Wildlife’s website – www.njfishandwildlife.com.
Best regards,
Roberta Sonenfeld
Village Manager
201-670-5500, ext. 203
-PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS-
Ridgewood NJ, Various roads on the East Side of Ridgewood will be closed starting at 7:30am for the Memorial Day run. Main roads including Linwood Ave E.Ridgewood ave E.Glen Ave and Franklin Turnpike will be affected. If your planing to travel through town plan an alternate route to avoid delays.
Ridgewood Police : the passing of retired Police Lieutenant Anthony Finamore
May 15 ,2015
the Ridgewood Police
It is with deep sadness we share the passing of retired Police Lieutenant Anthony Finamore . Tony served our community and the Ridgewood Police Department from 1960-1987. Our thoughts and prays are with his wife Gloria, his children and family. Tony is pictured here in the center during the 1961 department photograph. Service arrangements will be announced soon.
Area graduates of the Police Academy of Bergen County are awarded certificates of completion by Freeholder John K. Pollitt, Police Academy committee chairman, during exercises held APR 25 1961. The graduates that year were Patrolmen Harry Shortway Jr., , Anthony Finamore, and Augustus Hensz, of Ridgewood.
His appointment to rank of sergeant on the Ridgewood police force effective Wednesday, Anthony Finamore has his new badge pinned by his wife, Gloria. At left, is Captain Robert S. Kay who handled the promotion ceremonies. FEB 15 1972
Free Fun for Young Children! – lots more pictures coming !
Ridgewood NJ, Touch-a-Truck 2015 Rolls Into Ridgewood May 14 Join Us for a Day of Imagination & Fun! Imagine taking a seat behind the wheel of a real police cruiser ready to roll, climbing aboard a shiny fire truck as you prepare to battle a blaze, exploring up-close a fleet of the other emergency and public works vehicles you’ve only seen at a distance on the streets of Ridgewood. Treat your children to a day of hands-on adventure, featuring opportunities to climb on board the vehicles that touch their lives, when “Touch-a-Truck 2015” rolls into downtown Ridgewood’s Memorial Park at Van Neste Square on Thursday, May 14 (Rain date: Thursday, Oct. 8) . Ridgewood emergency and public works vehicles will be ready for action along the Oak Street side of the park from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. as the local heroes who serve the Village also will be on hand to share their favorite tales about the exciting work they perform every day. As an added bonus, they’ll be a Safetytown Kiddie-Car Driving Track hosted by the Ridgewood Police Department and Little Ivy Learning Center. . . a special Truck Storytime hosted by the Ridgewood Public Library and more! Touch-a-Truck, a free event co-sponsored by the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce and the Village of Ridgewood, is coordinated by Ridgewood’s Little Ivy Learning Center as part of its ongoing commitment to serve our community’s children and their families. We look forward to meeting your family on Touch-a-Truck Day!
Reader says , There is so much wrong with your editorial I don’t know where to begin.
It was a fenced in yard and the policeman was a stranger. He had a choice: run. Get the hell out of the yard. Or would that be too detrimental to the tough guy image?
Are you saying that people should not allow their dogs to roam their fenced in yards now? The dogs should be confined to the house? Is there a particular room inside the house where the dog should be sequestered?
Your fantasy about the cop saving a child from a fierce beast holds no water. If the kid was from the neighborhood, the dog would have known him. If there was a trespasser in the yard, then good.
I only hope, officer Elwood, that when you find a group of kids smoking a joint behind starbucks some night, and they all scatter, you realize that you do have a choice other than to shoot the slower ones.
Ridgewood NJ, Touch-a-Truck 2015 Rolls Into Ridgewood May 14 Join Us for a Day of Imagination & Fun! Imagine taking a seat behind the wheel of a real police cruiser ready to roll, climbing aboard a shiny fire truck as you prepare to battle a blaze, exploring up-close a fleet of the other emergency and public works vehicles you’ve only seen at a distance on the streets of Ridgewood. Treat your children to a day of hands-on adventure, featuring opportunities to climb on board the vehicles that touch their lives, when “Touch-a-Truck 2015” rolls into downtown Ridgewood’s Memorial Park at Van Neste Square on Thursday, May 14 (Rain date: Thursday, Oct. 8) . Ridgewood emergency and public works vehicles will be ready for action along the Oak Street side of the park from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. as the local heroes who serve the Village also will be on hand to share their favorite tales about the exciting work they perform every day. As an added bonus, they’ll be a Safetytown Kiddie-Car Driving Track hosted by the Ridgewood Police Department and Little Ivy Learning Center. . . a special Truck Storytime hosted by the Ridgewood Public Library and more! Touch-a-Truck, a free event co-sponsored by the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce and the Village of Ridgewood, is coordinated by Ridgewood’s Little Ivy Learning Center as part of its ongoing commitment to serve our community’s children and their families. We look forward to meeting your family on Touch-a-Truck Day!
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Police Department is pleased to announce the 2nd annual Chief Michael Feeney, Jr. Police Academy scheduled from Monday June 22nd 2015 to Tuesday June30th. The academy is open to Ridgewood Residents entering 6th 7th and 8th grades in the fall of 2015.This year’s academy will feature demonstrations from The Ridgewood Police Department, Bergen County Sheriff’s Department K-9 and Bomb Squad, Police Motorcycles, Ridgewood Emergency Services, Ridgewood Fire Department a Helicopter landing as well as demonstrations from various other agencies. A field trip to the Bergen County Law and Public Safety Complex in Mahwah is scheduled for Wednesday June 24th. This year we added a trip to see a Jackals baseball game at Montclair State University on Wednesday July 1st 2015 the day after the academy graduation, attendance is optional. The cadets will also be asked to March in the Ridgewood 4th of July Parade. Applications are available at the Ridgewood Police Station 2nd floor police desk. The deadline for applications is Monday June 1st 2015. The fee for the Academy is $40 per student which includes two shirts per student a baseball hat a water bottle and transportation to our field trip. There is an additional $18 per student fee if they will be attending the Jackals Game Wednesday July 1st.
The Junior Police Academy has proven to be a valuable experience for all involved and has provided a vital link between the Police Department and the youth of Ridgewood. Further, the Junior Police Academy has afforded students a deeper understanding of the Police function as well as an increased ability to see what the Police and the community can do to serve the Village. The overwhelming success of our first Junior Police Academy class has far exceeded the expectations of everyone involved. This program attracts a highly motivated group of recruits, and the Instructors thoroughly enjoy their interaction with these young people. We look forward to another great class.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog and the Ridgewood Police Department
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Police report ,the on April 29 at approximately 9pm, the Ridgewood Police Department was called to a house on S. Pleasant Avenue for a report of a stabbing. A 19-year-old victim was found to be bleeding from the shoulder.
The police were able to determine that a disagreement occurred with a known person and the disagreement became an altercation and resulted in the victim being stabbed with a 4” folding knife.
Police arrested 20-year-old Matthew Luis from Mahwah at the scene. He has been charged with Aggravated Assault, Possession of a deadly weapon and Possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes. The accused has been remanded to the Bergen County Jail in lieu of posting the $65,000 bail.
the Ridgewood PD and the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood Nj, Ridgewood Police report on April 18, 2015 at 6:55 PM Ptl Anthony Mormino responded to a hit and run motor vehicle accident on East Saddle River Road. Ptl Keith Killion located the vehicle that left the scene on Wall Street. While investigating the incident it was determined that the driver and a passenger were attempting to hide the vehicle in a garage.
The driver Arnella E. Migirov 21 of Elmwood Park was arrested and charged with DWI, DWI in a School Zone, Unsafe Vehicle, Failure to Exhibit Documents, Failure to Install Interlock Device, Reckless Driving, Following to Closely, Leaving the scene of an accident wit Injury, and Failure to Report an Accident with Injury. The accused was released pending an appearance in Ridgewood Municipal Court.All defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Ridgewood NJ, In Ridgewood ,there seemed to be far less accidents involving pedestrians and automobiles this past year? I do not know the numbers .
So we asked Ridgewood Police Chief John Ward if we did have decrease what in your mind was particularly effective in mitigating pedestrian incidents. If we had an increase what policy can the Village , the Schools or the Ridgewood PD do to increase awareness of public safety and make our streets safer ?
The Chief took time out to respond , “We did have a decrease in pedestrian related accidents in 2014. I can say we have experienced a significant decrease in the level of injury to pedestrians. That being said in December (2014) we did have several but again still well below last year. As far as why, I can say we have increased our efforts in the areas of education and enforcement as well as the efforts in the area of engineering to enhance safety. As you know there are too many variables to attribute a causal nexus between our efforts and the reductions in pedestrian crashes , but one could argue that there appears to be a correlation.
While according to the Record there has been an increase state wide , the Chiefs efforts in Village suggest that simply “awareness ” from both drivers , walkers and cyclist may be the key .
N.J. pedestrian deaths rise; police look for reasons
APRIL 21, 2015 LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2015, 6:47 AM
BY JOHN CICHOWSKI
RECORD COLUMNIST |
THE RECORD
Sad to say, each time you read your favorite newspaper, there’s a good chance you’ll learn about someone like Anila Lluka or Lisa Borsellino or Donna Marie Wine, whose lives were cut short at the rate of one every other day in New Jersey — twice a month in Bergen County.
These deaths happen so routinely that we often barely recognize their significance because the victims were doing something as common as crossing River Street in Hackensack, where Borsellino was struck down last October, or Paramus Road in Paramus, where Lluka was killed last November.
Tragically, such passings have become much more frequent lately, according to updated figures recently released by the New Jersey State Police fatal accident unit.
Pedestrian deaths totaled 169 statewide last year, including that of Ms. Wine, a beautician who was standing with others on Grand Avenue at an outdoor market in Hawthorne last August when a truck plowed into her. In Bergen, walking deaths peaked at 24 last year. Victims included Stephen Petruzzello, a 22-year-old Cliffside Park police officer who was run down crossing Walker Street two days after Christmas while on the job with his partner.
With Bergen now accounting for more pedestrian fatalities by far than any other county in the state, traffic cops in many of its 70 municipalities have begun digging into their files to find better ways to prevent such deaths.
Ridgewood NJ, Applications for the Chief Michael Feeney Jr.Police Academy Class #2 are now available at Ridgewood Police headquarters. The Jr. Police Academy is scheduled from June 22nd to July 1st 2015 and held at B.F. Middle School, The academy is open to Ridgewood Residents entering 6th 7th and 8th grades next fall. The Application deadline is June1st 2015.
The Junior Police Academy has proven to be a valuable experience for all involved and has provided a vital link between the Police Department and the youth of Ridgewood. Further, the Junior Police Academy has afforded students a deeper understanding of the Police function as well as an increased ability to see what the Police and the community can do to serve the Village. The overwhelming success of our first Junior Police Academy class has far exceeded the expectations of everyone involved. This program attracts a highly motivated group of recruits, and the Instructors thoroughly enjoy their interaction with these young people. We look forward to another great class.
