I’ve read the initial post and it’s replies, the numbers displayed are misleading, as the majority of that money was raised in car usage and admin fee’s. The money charged goes into the general fund and not the police budget as is done in other towns.
Even though the cops have to ask for money for cars, it’s the same money that was raised by the dept through contractor work. The same goes for administrative fee’s that are charged per hour of work every cop does the town makes money off it. But the money goes into the general fund.
Other towns use vehicle charges to defray the costs of new police vehicles, the VOR chooses not to do this and goes through a dog and pony show to but vehicles. In my last conversation with a village official, the vehicle fees charged were 250,000 dollars. With that in mind the numbers shown are very misleading. For a subject like this all the facts should be posted not just one side.
Ridgewood Police conduct Pedestrian Safety Enforcement in the Central Business District
March 30, 2014
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Police Department conducted a pedestrian safety enforcement in the central business district.
Plain clothes officers were utilized in the pedestrian decoy program to enforce New Jersey motor vehicle statute 39:4-36 which requires vehicles to stop and stay stopped as a pedestrian crosses the intersection in a crosswalk.
Chief John M. Ward stated on Facebook that the public can expect to see an increase in Pedestrian Safety & Pedestrian Decoy details within the CBD and around area schools and that the Ridgewood PD appreciates your continued support and will continue to announce our enforcement activity.
Ridgewood police, fire departments present budget requests
MARCH 27, 2014 LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 2014, 3:35 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
Ridgewood police officials attribute the department’s proposed 7 percent spending increase, in part, to a spike in mandatory officer training and the imminent replacement of aging administration vehicles.
During a Village Council budget work session last week, Chief John Ward detailed the police department’s anticipated 2014 expenses contained within its $6.6 million budget. The heads of the fire and information technology departments also presented their individual budgets.
Photo credit: Boyd A. Loving 2-alarm fire guts Ridgewood barn
March 22,2014
Boyd A. Loving
7:31 PM
Ridgewood NJ, A barn located in the rear of a home at 122 Cottage Place Ridgewood was gutted by a 2-alarm fire that was reported by a passerby at approximately 6:45 PM on Saturday. The owners of the property were not home at the time Ridgewood fire fighters arrived and found the barn totally engulfed in flames. No injuries were reported. Fire officials at the scene could not provide an immediate cause of the blaze. Response by Ridgewood FD, Ridgewood PD, Ridgewood EMS, and Ridgewood Emergency Services personnel.
Ridgewood Police Sixth report of an attempted luring of a child in northern New Jersey
March 19, 2014
There is now a sixth report of an attempted luring of a child in northern New Jersey. In the latest incident, a boy in Hackensack was walking to school on Monday morning when a man asked him if he’d help him find his lost dog. Police are also investigating reports of luring attempts in Leonia, Norwood and Ridgefield Park. Full story at this link:
Ridgewood Chief of Police John Ward has issued a safety message to parents and guardians about recent attempted luring incidents in Bergen County. Please click here to read the letter, which was distributed by Dr. Fishbein yesterday.
Readers continue to voice concern over use of police time by outside vendors
Has the Council done a cost/benefit analysis showing the true net cost to taxpayers and rate payers of this extra duty work for outside vendors and the impact on public safety ? Seems like it’s in the PBA contracts so the RPD argues it’s contractual and cannot be changed, but how did it get in there in the first place ? Maybe we should recall the CBA ?
Today I saw a PSEG truck doing a pole replacement on north Monroe. Orange cones around it. Police car parked PAST the truck. duhhhhh. In this particular case the unmarked car with lites flashing inside was not even doing the job they were supposed to since it was parked after the truck..not before it. A few blocks away a marked police patrol car was visible behind the cones (that had the detour sign).
There was another truck in front of the unmarked car that just left. the unmarked hadn’t left yet. Any time the police are on the street they are available in an emergency cops on side jobs have responded to emergency calls for people in need , on guy who’s retired caught a perp wanted for bank robbery while he was working a side job. It’s good for the town to have extra cops available at non-taxpayers expense. Oh and don’t give me that song about higher power rates, If pseg hired flag men in stead of cops the cost per kilowatt hr. wouldn’t come down at all. The utility profit margin would go up increasing the stock price as it is a publicly traded company. Don’t be jealous of what some one else has, improve what you have and if you have more than the cops + firemen be happy you do, Jealousy and envy will eat you alive from the inside out.
Has the Council done a cost/benefit analysis showing the true net cost to taxpayers and rate payers of this extra duty work for outside vendors and the impact on public safety ? Seems like it’s in the PBA contracts so the RPD argues it’s contractual and cannot be changed, but how did it get in there in the first place ? Maybe we should recall the CBA ?
Ridgewood Police report a rash of car entries
March 13,2014
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Police department reminds everyone that the area has seen an increase in the number of car entries. Please remember to lock all car doors and not leave expensive items in plain view at any time.
Feb. 27: A Kingsbridge Lane resident reported that his vehicle was entered and items were taken. The matter is under investigation.
Feb. 28: A Terhune Road resident reported that his vehicle was entered and items were taken. The matter is under investigation.
Feb. 28: A Glen Rock resident reported that she parked her vehicle at the New York Sports Club. When she returned, the rear window was smashed and a purse was taken. The matter is under investigation.
March 2: An employee of Whole Foods reported that a company van had the rear window broken during the night. The matter is under investigation.
Ordinance opens spots for new Ridgewood police officers
THURSDAY MARCH 6, 2014, 4:21 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
A once-controversial police personnel ordinance was unanimously approved by the Ridgewood Council Wednesday night, paving the way for the department to hire two new patrol officers.
The ordinance abolishes a previously established maximum amount of officers and detectives that the police department may employ. It also encourages the re-creation of the school resource officer (SRO) position, of which the responsibilities will be determined jointly by the department chief, village manager and superintendent of schools.
“It gets rid of the arbitrary ceiling and allows for the public safety needs of the community,” said Mayor Paul Aronsohn, who shared equal enthusiasm for the possible return of a SRO to the school district.
With the new ordinance in place, the department is now legally allowed to hire additional officers without future ordinance amendments. Village officials have indicated that two conditional officers, whose employment was put on hold in January, will be retained.
Editors note : History has shown us the problem is the Village simply has “ZERO” credibility in its ability to plan ,manage and implement large projects and too many seem to have their vision clouded by personal gain.
No one wants to see empty lots in the CBD , nor do most want to live in the “next, next ” Hoboken .
Like the Train Station renovation before , there is a way for everyone to get something positive, add housing , improve infrastructure , take into account schools and of coarse parking.
Whats lacking is a vision for the future of the Village. A vision uniquely by Ridewood ,for Ridgewood. Not about people getting elected or speculators getting rich off government connections .
This Vision must include Valley Hospital, CBD housing ,retail and parking , traffic and the Ridgewood School district.
The Village with its excellent schools , parks ,CBD, cultural institutions and easy access to transportation offers a very unique opportunity .
If we chose to destroy the character of the town , the very character that has attracted so many to the Village over the years , we will lose the very thing that makes us who we are….
The people advocating for high density buildings (and for Valley Hospital over expansion for that matter) do not care about our town. They care about making money. Once they make their money, if they don’t like what the town is like they will be able to leave. There is no middle ground we can get to right now because they want maximum $$. They will first try for maximum $$ via high density, and only if we defeat them will they come down a notch and try for slightly less (see Valley Hospital). Maybe after several defeats we might get to a middle ground, but even that will be temporary. People like this do not give up. 10 years after we reach a middle ground solution (if we do) they will be right back at it (or their children will take the helm) seeking to make $$ by ruining our Village…..
I think that is what has to be discussed. But to right away jump to conclusion and think over night or even years Ridgewood would turn into any of your examples is foolish and not forward thinking.
You think modernization and growth and you assume that means higher crime, noise, traffic and every negative thing you can imagine… But it doesn’t have to be that way if you develop a sustainable plan for growth through a thoughtful process.
The contextual makeup of Ridgewood is not sustainable. Look every town around us…. Minus glen rock… We are a old folks home… And it’s sad because we have an opportunity to be an example of a modern town that still remains true to its roots.
It doesn’t have to be an all or nothing deal. What i am really saying is that we are going to expand… No way around it it will happen eventually, just being honest. I rather the people that do care about this towns and it’s history be the ones making the plans and not the (as number one stated) money Hungary investors that can up and leave if it fails.
What rather you have?…..
We don’t want to follow the path of Hoboken, Paterson, Hackensack or NYC. Is there a suitable model out there?….
The Village Council is moving forward with plans to replace existing on-board cameras mounted in Ridgewood patrol cars and upgrade the corresponding system at police headquarters..
Two resolutions were passed last week, one approving the purchase of two new mobile camera units and another authorizing the acquisition of the related camera-operating system. Both purchases were included in last year’s capital expenditure accounts and will be obtained under New Jersey’s cooperative purchasing program.
According to the council’s resolution, a pair of mobile camera units will be purchased in an amount not to exceed $12,554 from a Massachusetts-based firm. The cameras were described as newer, high-definition units, according to acting Village Manager Heather Mailander.
Ridgewood to step up enforcement of snow removal policies
MONDAY MARCH 3, 2014, 3:24 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Ridgewood will be cracking down on property owners and contractors who violate the village’s snow removal policies, including those that require timely sidewalk maintenance and prevent private plowing into public roadways.
Local authorities stepped up enforcement on Feb. 21, but acting Village Manager Heather Mailander said last Wednesday night that regulations will be heavily enforced going forward. She said that summonses will be issued for all offenses, and in some cases, vehicles left in public streets during a snowstorm may be towed.
A lack of resources isn’t the only thing that has contributed to Ridgewood’s winter woes – in some cases, private property owners and plowing contractors might be to blame for some messy roadways.
Photo credit: Boyd A. Loving “Jaws of Life” needed to free driver in late night Ridgewood crash
March 1,2014
Boyd A. Loving
12:26 AM
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood FD firefighters needed the “Jaws of Life” to free the female driver of an Acura TL after she was pinned in her car following a late night, two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Linwood and Walthery Avenues. After being removed from her vehicle, the driver was transported by ambulance to Hackensack University Medical Center with what were described by police on the scene as non life threatening injuries.
A black Audi involved in the crash sustained very heavy front end damage, but its driver refused medical aid, as did two other vehicle occupants. Both vehicles were removed by flatbed tow truck. Responding were Ridgewood PD, FD, and EMS, Bergen County PD, and a paramedic unit from The Valley Hospital. Ridgewood PD issued four (4) summonses in connection with the crash; details of their nature and to whom the summonses were issued were not made available at the scene.
Readers comment on Parking Problems Near Ridge and other Ridgewood Schools
Parking near any school is out of control in the village and just seems to get worse while on the rare occasion that a police officer is there he or she does nothing.
It is about driving and safety. Buying near a school does not mean that parents can ignore parking/standing rules, blocking driveways and oncoming traffic. They are clogging the road because they are the laziest and most selfish pack of parents in the area. The council had an opportunity to address this last year and they did nothing. We need Midland Park to step in and enforce the law.
Many could benefit from a brisk WALK to Ridge. Try setting an example for the kids.
I just noticed today for the first time that Somerville parents are now parking on Spring Avenue, east and west of South Pleasant, making that street a nightmare to drive on during afternoon dismissal time.
Would you rather pay for the overtime and have less officers on the streets, working events, and eliminate special programs like the school officer.
Or use the same cost and reduce overt time and have more police officers?
Again this town use to have almost 20 more officers then it currently has today. Retirements will continue to happen, and the ranks will fluctuate. This is why this new ordinance sound great on paper. It allows the Chief, the VC, the VM and even the town have a say on how many officers they feel they need on a yearly bases. It dosnt tie the hands of the powers to be to make the right choice if needed due to a number that know one knows how it was reached.
I guess its’s pay less today in overtime by having more officers, or pay more tomorrow in pension & health care if we have more officers ? Which is cheaper ? I’ve noticed the public safety, plus pensions & social security, and insurance (health, workman’s’ comp, other) were 51% of the Village part of the budget in 2013. This was up from 42% in 2001. These budget items are growing much faster than the overall budget, and have also grown in excess of the 2% property tax cap. If this continues, it suggests that, from a property taxpayer’s perspective, the annual increases in property taxes will not go to improve quality of life and services for residents. Instead, annual tax increases will be required to fund mandated salary and benefit obligations. So which is better ?
Police roster limit to be removed in Ridgewood
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2014, 5:09 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Ridgewood has started the administrative process to eliminate the maximum number of patrol officers and detectives allowed in the police department, a move that may ultimately give the village permission to unfreeze conditional offers of employment that were extended to two recruits in January.
The Village Council on Wednesday introduced the enacting ordinance, which states that the police department will consist of “so many officers/detectives as may be authorized from time to time.” The ordinance still limits the department to no more than four lieutenants and five sergeants, while the top brass remains at one chief and two captains.
The governing body will consider adoption of the new law during a special public hearing March 5.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/246403461_Police_roster_limit_to_be_removed_in_Ridgewood.html#sthash.vaUrMP8G.dpuf
