Thursday, June 11, 2009 By Chris Sykes, East Orange Record Staff Writer City Honors Police Personnel During Ceremony EAST ORANGE, NJ - The East Orange Police Department conducted an award and recognition ceremony last week to honor the people who work to protect and serve East Orange’s residents. “Cops do things like rescuing cats from trees and helping children who are lost or in distress every day,” said Police Chief Ronald Borgo. “We also respond to fires and other noncrime-related emergencies along with the fire department and other first responders, so what we do is about more than just chasing criminals and fighting crime. We have awards ceremonies like this to acknowledge the full range and spectrum of police work and community service.” The noontime City Hall ceremony was attended by Mayor Robert Bowser and City Council members as well as Assemblyman Thomas Giblin. • The department’s Medal of Honor was presented to Detective Elemond Tucker. Awards for high merit were presented to Capt. Richard McGowan, Detectives Joseph Juliano, Javier Acevedo, Wayne Adams, Nick Velasquez, Eric Rodriguez, Mark Rodgers, Calvin Anderson, Hewlett Adkins, Elemond Tucker, Ramon Rodriguez and Stephen Rochester; Sgts. Janie Reid and Barry Porterfield, and Officers Faustina Rodriguez, Robert Licausi, Gleny Velez and Althea Hudson. The Excellent Duty Award was presented to Sgts. Clarence Brown and James Pitts as well as Detectives Brian Wynn, Kasim Gilyard, Kevin Coleman, Joseph Williams, Shonee Thorne, Ramon Rodriguez, Craig May, Reginald Hudson, Joseph Juliano, and Omar Ferguson. Officers Himanshu Antala, Anicka Emmanuel, Anthony Rodgers, and Kwabena Hughes also received the award. The 2009 Command Citation was presented to Sgts. Clarence Brown, Hosia Reynolds and Larry Martin in addition to Detectives Rudolpho Correia, Rashaan Johnson, Eric Rodriguez, Robert Harris, Ramon Rodriguez, Philip Davis, Michael Johnson, Rolando Baugh, Suzanne Looges, Reginald Hudson, Robert Wright and Rajheher Massenberg. The citation also was presented to Officers Dwayne Harris, Nicole O’Halloran, Nakia McConnell, Howard Adams and Darryl Brown. The Unit Citation was awarded to the Violent Crimes Task Force and the Civilian Recognition Award was presented to department dispatcher Yesenia Colon. “Jessie Colon received this award for her outstanding work and service as a dispatcher that resulted in a child’s life being saved,” Borgo said. “That child would not be alive today if she had not taken that call, directed the responding officers to the location where his life was in danger and stayed on the line with him until they arrived.” Borgo also said he would be remiss in honoring the men and women in uniform if he did not recognize the assistance they received in the neighborhoods where they serve. He said it is a tough, dangerous job policing a city the size of East Orange, and any successes the department has enjoyed is due in large part to the “invaluable” assistance they have received from residents.   Wednesday, April 8, 2009 By John Zucal, East Orange Record, Managing Editor NEWS UPDATE Alleged Sex Predator Arrested EAST ORANGE, NJ - A man whom East Orange police allege approached three females, sexually assaulting one, within several hours has been arrested. Gerrod Little, 26, was arrested April 1 at approximately 2 p.m. in Elizabeth, said Sgt. Andrew DiElmo, a spokesman for the East Orange Police Department. A black Cadillac which was allegedly used in the incidents also was recovered. In a statement issued after the arrest, Police Chief Ronald Borgo said the arrest followed an investigation which included personnel from the East Orange, Elizabeth and state police, the U.S. Marshal’s Office and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. Little was charged with kidnapping, aggravated criminal sexual conduct and weapons possession, said DiElmo. The incidents occurred on March 20 when three females, ages 11, 14 and 18, reported to police they had been approached by a black man in a dark Cadillac. Two of the three were forced into the vehicle, while the 11-year-old ran away from the car. A 14-year-old was able to escape the vehicle and fled. The 18-year-old, however, told police she was driven from Prospect Street and Springdale Avenue to a nearby park and sexually assaulted, said DiElmo. The woman said she was released after she was assaulted.   Saturday March 28, 2009 by The Star-Ledger Continuous News Desk   East Orange Man On The Run Wanted For Sex Assault An East Orange man who might be armed and dangerous is wanted for the sexual assault of teenager at knifepoint on March 20, following the attempted attacks of two younger girls earlier in the day, police said. Gerrod H. Little, 26, whose last known address was on S. Munn Avenue, is wanted for kidnapping, aggravated criminal sexual contact and weapons possession, police said today. He was last seen operating an early 2000s model black Cadillac Deville with a black leather interior, black rag top, white pinstripes with gold trim and a Cadillac Escalade grill. He might also be operating a 1995 gray Cadillac Seville with New Jersey registration VZV-44C. In each of the three stalking cases on March 20, a sexual predator with a knife tried to pull his victims into a black Cadillac, police said. A 14-year-old girl told police that around 7:30 that morning, she was forced into a car at the corner of Shepard and Elmwood avenues. She was able to escape unharmed from the car a short distance later, police said. An 11-year-old girl told police that around 9:15 that morning at Elmwood Avenue and Oak Street, a man in a car told her to get into the vehicle and mentioned having a knife. She ran away and the suspect sped away, police said. An 18-year-old woman told police that later in the day, she was forced into a suspect's vehicle at Prospect Street and Springdale Avenue and driven to a nearby area where she was sexually assaulted, then released. Little has black hair and is 5-foot-11 and weighs 174 pounds. Anyone with information is asked to contact the East Orange Police Department's criminal investigation bureau at (973) 266-5030 or the police department's communications unit at (973) 266-5000. Below left: artist composite sketch of suspect - Below right: Actual photo of suspect.                                                            Wednesday March 25, 2009 by Halley Bondy For The Star-Ledger East Orange Police Release Sketch Of Man Who Tried To Abduct Three Girls The East Orange Police Department today released a composite sketch of the man suspected in the abduction and sexual assault of an 18 year-old woman on March 20 on Prospect and Hamilton streets. The suspect also attempted to abduct two young girls nearby earlier in the day, according to the police release. Police said the suspect forced each of the victims into his car using a "boxcutter-type blade." The first victim, a 14-year-old girl, escaped from the car. The second victim, an 11-year-old girl, fled when the suspect accosted her. The third victim was sexually assaulted in the car and released. The vehicle is described as a mid-range 2000-2005 black Cadillac Deville with gray leather interior, white pin stripes and gold trim stock rims. Anyone with information can contact the East Orange Police Department at (973) 266-5000.   Sunday March 22, 2009 Lou Young Reporting from CBS News Cops Warn Of Serial Sexual Predator In East Orange There was a widening circle of concerned residents on Friday night over a sexual predator in their midst. Teen and pre-teen girls are being targeted on their way to school. Two have been physically abducted and one was sexually assaulted. East Orange resident Bill Butler described how one of the assault victims was faring as police searched for her attacker. "She's devastated, nervous, upset," he told CBS 2 HD out in front of police headquarters on Munn Street. "She doesn't want a man to stand near her." Butler's relative was the third in a series of victims to be approached by a man in a black Cadillac on Friday. The first was approached about 7:15 a.m. along Elwood Avenue on her way to school. The 11-year-old said the man told her he had a knife and ordered her into the vehicle but she hesitated and he became frightened when another passer-by began to approach. Moments later a 14-year-old middle-school student actually did get in the car as ordered but jumped out as the driver began to leave the area. Things turned violent on the third attempt. Police said the predator drove to the other side of town near Campus High School and targeted an 18-year-old on Prospect Street. There was no escape. The attacker took his victim to a deserted location and assaulted her. Butler's wife, Ricky, said it was a violent attack apparently driven by frustration from the first two failures. "He must've been very angry," she said "because [the victim] couldn't get out of the car. He beat her up in the face. He had a razor and she was trying to reach her dad. She has a chirp phone and she was trying to chirp her dad and [the assailant] saw she was trying it. He was trying to cut her on the back of her hands," during the attack. Police said they have DNA from the assault. They said the car is an older model black four-door Cadillac with grey leather interior and a cloth roof that looks at first glance like a convertible. Police Chief Ronald Borgo said he has no doubt his people are looking for a single serial predator. "We've been working all day on this," he said, "and we're working through the night until this individual is apprehended." The driver was identified as a black male with dark complexion, goatee, approximately 5-foot-5 to 5-10 with a thin build. All three victims were taken to the Essex County prosecutor's office to look at photo arrays of sex offenders.   Wednesday February 25, 2009 By Chris Sykes, Staff Writer - East Orange Record Dow Lauds Work of Police, Prosecutors EAST ORANGE, NJ - Essex County Prosecutor Paula Dow said recently released statistics showed 2008 was a good year for her office and task force to fight crime. Dow said the number of homicides in Essex County decreased by 24 percent in 2007, compared with 2006, and criminal convictions increased 77 percent. Her numbers appear to dovetail with statistics in local municipalities. Representatives with the Irvington Police Department recently reported arrests and “significant progress” on 95 percent of the homicide cases in the township in 2007. In Orange, Mayor Eldridge Hawkins Jr. said Police Director John Rappaport has been revamping the department and changing how officers fight crime. In East Orange, the progress in reducing crime has continued under Police Chief Ron Borgo. The reduction in reported crimes in the city has held steady at 50 percent during the past several years, according to the State Police’s Uniform Crime Report. Between 2005 and 2006, reports of violent crimes dropped from 1,068 to 721; nonviolent crimes from 3,523 to 2,460; murders from 14 to 9; rapes from 31 to 25; robberies from 553 to 373; aggravated assaults from 470 to 314; burglaries from 878 to 593; larceny-thefts from 1,648 to 1,229, and motor vehicle thefts from 997 to 638. City officials credited the declines to a combination of old-fashioned police work and new technology such as video-surveillance cameras, LED dashboard video equipment in 23 new patrol cars and an increase in the department’s video-storage capacity. In Orange, Rappaport was appointed police director by Hawkins on July 1, 2008, following mayoral inauguration ceremony. Since then, said city officials, he has worked to reorganize the Orange Police Department and revamp how personnel perform their work. During the first few months, Rappaport has presided over numerous drug busts, a crackdown on prostitution and community-policing initiatives to encouraging officers to “adopt” streets, schools and churches in an effort to develop contacts with residents. There have been approximately 500 arrests and 1,000 criminal charges since Rappaport became police director. Irvington recorded 27 homicides in 2008. That number represented a statistical high for Irvington during recent years. The township experienced a high of 30 homicides in 2003, followed by 27 in 2004, before the figures settled in the low 20s from 2005 to 2007. Police Chief Michael Chase previously stated the 2008 figure includes two incidents which were the results of police actions in response to criminal activities. Another death occurred when a pedestrian was killed in a hit-and-run accident that remains under investigation. Dow also cited a sharp reduction in homicides in Newark, from 106 in 2007 to 74 in 2008, the reductions in overall crime in East Orange and recent crackdowns in Orange and other municipalities as proof that law enforcement personnel have been hard at work against criminals. She added that Essex County experienced 116 homicides during 2008, a decline from 151 in 2007. Dow said 2008 also marked a year of lengthy prison sentences for Essex County’s most violent offenders. That group included Newark resident Travis Burris, a reputed lieutenant in the Bloods street gang, who was sentenced to life in prison plus 50 years for fatally shooting a mother and wounding her 12-year-old son while attempting to gun down another son who belonged to a rival gang; Mark Caldwell of East Orange, who was ordered to serve a life sentence for robbing and killing the wife of an East Orange man as the couple was walking home one evening from a convenience store; Jermaine Sanders of Newark, who was sentenced 100 years for his involvement in a crime spree that included four carjackings, five armed robberies and two shootings, all within six hours.   Wednesday December 3, 2008 Published in the Star-Ledger on 12/3/2008 Officer Eugene (Gene) Clemonts, 58, - aka "Spike" Retired East Orange Police Officer, 58 Eugene "Gene" Clemonts Jr., 58, of East Orange lost his valiant battle at the Veterans Affairs Hospital, Lyons, after a long illness on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2008. He was welcomed into heaven by his father, the late Eugene Clemonts Sr. Funeral services will be at 12 noon Thursday, Dec. 4, from Woody "Home for Services,'' 163 Oakwood Ave., Orange, where the family will receive relatives and friends from 10 a.m. until time of services. Interment is in Fairmount Cemetery, Newark. Born April 24, 1950, in East Orange, Gene was a police officer since 1979 with the East Orange Police Department, retiring in 2004. He was also an honorably discharged sergeant with the United States Army. Eugene was the loving father of Gary Addison and his wife, Lutrece, James McConnell and his wife, Christine, and Eugene Clemonts III; adored son of Delores Fisher; caring brother of Karen Green and her husband, Milton, Lauren Smith and her husband, Ray, Clarence Clemonts and Carrie Trent. He is also survived by his five precious grandchildren, Brielle and Arielle Addison, Brianna Renee Clemonts, Gary Addison Jr. and Diego McConnell; aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews, cousins, and many dear friends.   Sunday Sept 22, 2008 Chief Harry Harman, 58, History-Making Cop BY JULIE O'CONNOR Star-Ledger Staff Harry Harman began his New Jersey career as the first African-American police officer in Verona, and ended it as the first African-American chief of East Orange's Police Department. Along the way, he was known to fire up the barbecue and talk tough cases with his two brothers, officers in East Orange and Montclair who also rose up the ranks during an era of changing race relations. Mr. Harman died of cancer at his home in Georgia on Monday. He was 58. His death has left a "missing link" in the close, often trailblazing police trio the Harmans formed in the early 1970s, his brother Bruce Harman said. "It was really an era when the Police Department changed for the better, and he was a big, big part of it," Bruce Harman said. For years, the three brothers lived just miles apart. Bruce Harman went on to serve as East Orange's Police Commissioner for 12 years, and David Harman was the first African-American Chief of Police in Montclair. "My mother was extremely proud of us," David Harman said. "She didn't want us to ever be in a police headquarters on a negative note, and the ironic part of it was that we all became Police Officers." Mr. Harman was appointed chief of the East Orange Police Department in 1990 by Mayor Cardell Cooper. At the time, the majority of East Orange residents and about 65 percent of its Police force were black. Mr. Harman had to step down eight years later, after a white deputy chief passed over for the job won a reverse-discrimination lawsuit against the city. To avoid damages that could have run into the millions, the city agreed to a settlement and Mr. Harman retired. Despite "political winds that were blowing around him," Mr. Harman maintained his sense of purpose, Cooper said yesterday. "It was not about him being the first, it was about him being a professional and doing a great job," Cooper said. After Mr. Harman left his post in East Orange, he moved to Georgia and worked in security for Delta Global in Atlanta until retiring this year. He had been an All-State football player at Eastside High School in Paterson and attended Montclair State University, where he continued to play football and majored in history. Mr. Harman won numerous law enforcement awards and belonged to organizations including the International Association of Chiefs of Police, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives and Essex County Chiefs of Police. While being the first African-Americans to head their police departments was certainly an honor, David Harman said, "it was more important that we wouldn't be the last." Mr. Harman is survived by wife Toni of Fayetteville, Ga., daughter Krista Harman of New York City, son Kory Harman of Belleville and son Jamal McClamb of Fayetteville. A wake will be held at 10 a.m. tomorrow at St. Mark's United Methodist Church in Montclair, followed by a funeral at 1 p.m.   Wednesday Aug 13, 2008 East Orange Cops Indicted, But Not Everyone Agrees. Memorial Day Weekend Incident Involving Teens Leads To Serious Trouble For Officers Cato, Davis & Sheridan By Lou Young - CBS Reporter East Orange cops headed out on patrol Wednesday night uneasy now that three of their colleagues face serious criminal charges for use of excessive force. The Incident happened May 31 when plainclothes officers in an unmarked car apparently chased down a group of teens who may have thrown rocks at their vehicle. They caught two 15-year-olds at the scene and followed two other teens, one 16 the other 17, into a two-story home that was divided into apartments. Essex County assistant prosecutor Peter Sepulveda said the officers went into the second floor apartment, hit one teen in the face and dragged him and another juvenile down to the building's front porch. "They had the juvenile lie face down pointing the gun in the juvenile's face," he said. "and into his mouth demanding that they tell who threw the rock or they would kill him." Charges against the four teens were dropped and the complaint of brutality lodged against the officers went to an Essex County grand jury, which now has returned felony indictments against the officers. Officer Jon Cato, 31, is charged with kidnapping, aggravated assault and official misconduct. Officer Hakim Davis, 34, who allegedly brandished the handgun, faces kidnapping charges, terroristic threats, official misconduct, and conspiracy to commit official misconduct. The third officer, 24-year-old Dave Sheridan, allegedly stood on the porch and kept bystanders at bay while the teens were being dragged downstairs. He faces official misconduct and conspiracy charges for allegedly agreeing to falsify paperwork. The police force in the city bordering Newark has been effective in reducing street crime, but some residents said their success comes at too high a price. "They are very aggressive," Robin Rodgers said, standing at her window watching the traffic move by her apartment building. "We have very good police officers here in East Orange, but then there are the ones that are bullies." It's not a racial issue. Both the city and the police department are predominately black. Residents said it's a matter of basic respect. "You sit in the hallway of the building where you pay rent and you got to move," Sean Kelsey said, motioning to the steps on the sidewalk. "You sitting' here, you got to move. You waiting for a cab, you got to wait back inside the building. You still got to move." Daisha Williams put it simply. "If you don't know your rights they will go over [the line]," Williams said. But the officers, through their attorneys, said that isn't the case. Ronald Ricci represents Officer Davis. He said he conducted his own investigation into the incident and said the teens' account doesn't wash. "My client will be vindicated," he stated flatly. Marvalin Reid said the same thing about Officer Cato. She said he's a good cop and she doesn't believe the charges. "He's overprotective of kids," Reid said. "I don't dare think he would do this to anybody's child." The four teens involved have since moved away from the house where the alleged incident happened, but at their new home Wednesday night no one would come to the door to speak with CBS 2 HD. The teenagers testified before the grand jury, the officers did not. All three cops are currently suspended from their jobs without pay pending a departmental hearing to be held on Tuesday. Sunday July 13, 2008 According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), the nations motor vehicle thieves continue to favor imports over domestic brands as their target of opportunity. Stolen most often in New Jersey?              Stolen most often in United States? 1. 1995 Honda Civic 2. 1994 Honda Accord 3. 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4. 1996 Dodge Caravan 5. 1991 Toyota Camry 6. 1996 Nissan Maxima 7. 1994 Plymouth Voyager 8. 1995 Acura Integra 9. 2000 Dodge Intrepid 10. 2006 Nissan Altima   1. 1995 Honda Civic 2. 1991 Honda Accord 3. 1989 Toyota Camry 4. 1997 Ford F-150 Series Pickup 5. 1994 Chevrolet C/K 1500 Pickup 6. 1994 Acura Integra 7. 2004 Dodge Ram Pickup 8. 1994 Nissan Sentra 9. 1988 Toyota Pickup 10. 2007 Toyota Corolla   Saturday, July 12, 2008 Police Deaths Plummet In First Half Of '08 By Kevin Johnson, USA TODAY WASHINGTON — Police officer deaths plunged to their lowest midyear total in 43 years after an unusually deadly year for law enforcement officers, says a report released today by a national police advocacy group. The review reflects declines in all major categories of officer fatalities, including traffic accidents and shootings, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund found. Overall deaths declined from 100 to 59 in the first six months of 2007 compared to the same period this year. The number of overall deaths is the lowest since 1965, when 55 officers were killed. Midyear shooting deaths fell from 38 in 2007 to 21 this year, the lowest number since 1960, when 18 officers were killed by gunfire. "I'm amazed to see declines of this magnitude," says Craig Floyd, memorial fund chairman. "We were questioning last year whether 2007 was the start of a troubling trend. Now, I'm hoping that 2007 was an aberration." Last year, fatal police shootings claimed 68 officers, up from 54 in 2006, spurring fears that violent criminals were targeting police. Ed Nowicki, executive director of the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association, says police still are encountering more aggressive, armed offenders. He and other police officials attribute the dramatic reversal this year to the cyclical nature of violent crime and to increased training and awareness among officers. "Any time an officer is killed, it touches home," says Nowicki, who survived six shooting incidents as a Chicago cop. "Police are a lot more cautious and aware because of last year." In response to the 2007 increase in officer shooting deaths, Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis says he ordered all patrol officers — the bulk of the department's 2,200-officer force — to participate in drills to test their responses on calls involving armed suspects. "I don't know of any department that isn't now spending a significant amount of money on training," Davis says. Floyd says last year's "shocking" losses, which included six multiple slayings, forced officers, chiefs, unions and policymakers to focus on officer safety. That includes renewed emphasis on protective items such as body armor, Nowicki says. He says about half of the estimated 900,000 officers in the nation still are not wearing bulletproof vests. Last year, 27% of the officers killed by gunfire were not wearing protective vests. "Criminals are still arming themselves with high-powered weapons. But officers are preparing themselves for that," Floyd says. Several agencies, including Miami, recently decided to arm officers with military assault weapons to counter the threat. "I think the staggering numbers last year really grabbed people's attention, especially the officers on the street," Floyd says.   Friday, May 23, 2008 Officers on Foot as Gas Prices Climb By JEFFREY COLLINS, AP NEWBERRY, S.C. (May 23) - With gasoline climbing toward $4 a gallon, police officers around the country are losing the right to take their patrol cars home and are being forced to double up in cruisers and walk the beat more. The gas crunch could also put an end to the time-honored way cops leave their engines running when they get out to investigate something. Some police chiefs think the moneysaving measures are not all bad, and might actually help them do a better job. But they worry about the loss of take-home cars, saying the sight of a cruiser parked in a driveway or out in front of a home deters neighborhood crime. In Newberry, population 10,000, Chief Jackie Swindler is telling his officers to turn off the ignition whenever they are stopped for more than a minute or so, and to get out and walk around more. "It's not a rolling office that you stay in all day," Swindler said. "You still need to get out and interact with the public." Jonathan Taylor, a rookie officer in Newberry, said walking the beat in the region's oppressive summer heat may be a drag, but he added: "We're police officers. It's not supposed to be a comfortable job. If getting out and walking helps me do the best job I can, I'm all for it." In Grainger County, Tenn., Sheriff James Harville planned for gas prices of $2.22 a gallon when he drew up his budget last year. He has since redrawn the patrol map for the two officers who work each shift, splitting his county in half. He now puts one officer in each half and makes them responsible for all calls in their area. "That way, unless it's just a life-threatening call, I don't have officers just crisscrossing the county," said Harville, who has asked local officials for an extra $30,000 to keep patrol cars running in the county of 22,000 in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. When shifts overlap in Apple Valley, Minn., officers pair up and supervisors send those cruisers to domestic disputes, burglar alarms and other calls that would usually require two officers to respond separately, said Capt. Jon Rechtzigel. Officers also have been asked to turn off their engines whenever possible. "Years ago, you used to pull in a back lot to investigate something and keep your car running," Rechtzigel said. "You just can't afford to do that anymore." In the South Carolina town of Elgin, Police Chief Harold Brown delayed hiring a sixth officer so he could use the money for gas. "I guess you could say rising gas prices have cost me a man," said Brown, who found enough money in his budget to bring the new officer on board a few weeks ago. The Georgia State Patrol has asked troopers to reduce the amount of time spent driving by 25 percent. In Evansville, Ind., some officers will lose their take-home cars and others will have to pay more for the privilege. Starting Friday, those living within city limits will pay $25 every two weeks and those in the surrounding county will pay $35. Both groups previously paid $10. Eleven workers living outside the county will no longer get take-home police cars. Proposals to restrict the use of take-home police cars also are on the table in Camden, Del., Avon Park, Fla., and Hagerstown, Md. "I don't think we should be taking our city cruisers outside of our city," said Hagerstown City Councilwoman Kelly S. Cromer. "With the price of gas right now, I just really think that's a waste." In Allegany County, Md., Sheriff David Goad told elected officials seeking to limit his department's use of take-home vehicles that "it's a proven fact" that the sight of a patrol car on the road or in a driveway deters crime. As the fiscal year comes to an end, chiefs and sheriffs are trying to predict how high gas prices will go and craft budgets that won't be blown. "It's a shot in the dark," Swindler said. "You just have to take your best guess." Swindler, who joined the force as a patrol officer in 1975 - back when "only people with rank had a car" - said the return to old-fashioned police work could be a good thing in some ways, by bringing officers in closer contact with the public. The chief is doing his part by riding the department's Segway electric scooter during festivals and other events, and is looking to buy smaller, lighter cruisers. Newberry officers don't seem to mind. Sgt. Andy Rowe said he has heard no complaints from the officers he oversees as a shift supervisor and doesn't mind walking a little himself. "I enjoy getting out and interacting with everybody," Rowe said.   Friday, December 21, 2007 Office of the Attorney General Anne Milgram East Orange Police Director Named Statewide Director of Gangs, Guns And Violent Crime Jose Cordero Will Assume Top Law Enforcement Leadership Role in Implementing Governor’s Anti-Crime Plan East Orange, NJ – Governor Jon S. Corzine and Attorney General Anne Milgram today announced the appointment of East Orange Police Director Jose Cordero as New Jersey’s first statewide director of gangs, guns and violent crime. The position is part of Governor Jon S. Corzine’s anti-crime strategy for safe streets and neighborhoods, which was unveiled in October. Cordero will head the coordinating council overseeing implementation of the law enforcement portion of the Governor’s three part strategy to combat violent crime and gangs, which also includes prevention and reentry programs. As director, Cordero will also collaborate with law enforcement agencies throughout the state and assess the strategies put into place to investigate and prosecute gang and gun crimes. “Mr. Cordero’s success in implementing intelligence-led policing tactics in East Orange speaks volumes of his leadership and makes him an excellent fit for this position.” Governor Corzine said. “I’m eager to work closely with him on implementing the law enforcement component of the state’s anti-crime strategy.’’ Cordero, 51, has been serving as the police director in East Orange since July 2004. In East Orange, he put in place innovative policing methods to better combat crime by emphasizing the collection and analysis of intelligence data to target criminal activity. He is scheduled to leave East Orange and begin his new assignment with the state in early January. Under Cordero’s watch, the violent crime rate in East Orange dropped 56 percent, decreasing from 16.2 per 1,000 residents in 2004 to 10.6 per 1,000 residents in 2006, according to the state’s annual Uniform Crime Reports. “I am proud of Police Director Jose Cordero’s extraordinary record of achievement during his tenure at the helm of the East Orange Police department,’’ East Orange Mayor Robert L. Bowser said. “His innovative approach to law enforcement has fostered a model that has produced dramatic public safety gains and has transformed public perception. Today, our City is a much safer place to live, work, play and worship.’’ “Attorney General Milgram and Governor Corzine are to be congratulated for recognizing what we already know about Director Cordero and his extraordinary capabilities,’’ the Mayor added. “I have seen the police operations in East Orange first hand and the results are outstanding,” Attorney General Milgram said. “The adoption of data-driven, technologically-supported, intelligence-led policing can and should serve as a model for police departments throughout our state. But more important, Joe Cordero is an incredibly talented police officer and leader who understands that people need to feel safe on the streets of New Jersey.’’ Cordero was a member of the New York City Police Department for 21 years, retiring with the rank of inspector. He was the first citywide gang coordinator for the New York City Police Department, developing the department’s anti-gang strategy. He also served as the police chief in Newton, Massachusetts. “I am pleased and honored to have been selected as New Jersey’s first Statewide Director of Gangs, Guns and Violent Crime,’’ Cordero said. “I am looking forward to the challenge and to working with New Jersey’s law enforcement community, municipalities across the state, and the people of New Jersey to implement the governor’s vision for a safer New Jersey. We will work diligently to devise and implement well-conceived and coordinated law enforcement strategies to effectively deal with the growing criminal street gang menace and to reduce violent crimes across NJ.’’  Since his appointment as police director in East Orange, Cordero merged cutting edge technologies with intelligence-led and real-time policing strategies to achieve increased productivity and reduced overall crime by 56 percent in three years. In addition, during the first eleven months of 2007, overall crime declined another 29 percent. Cordero began his police career with the New York City Police Department in 1981, earning promotions to sergeant in 1984, lieutenant in 1989, and captain in 1992. He was named a deputy inspector in 1995 and an inspector in 1996. He served as the commanding officer in precincts in the Bronx and Manhattan. He also commanded the department’s recruitment unit and advocate’s office. He served as the Crime Strategies Inspector for Queens South in New York City with responsibility of overseeing the design and implementation of anti-crime strategies for more than 2,000 police officers operating in eight police precincts serving nearly one million residents. During his tenure, the borough attained the largest crime reduction of any patrol borough in New York City. After leaving the NYPD in 2002, Cordero was appointed chief of police in Newton, Massachusetts. During his term, overall crime in Newton dropped below 1,000 total yearly crimes for the first time in over 30 years, capturing a “Safest City in America” award for two straight years, according to an annual survey by the Morgan-Quitno research firm, which was recently acquired by CQ Press. Cordero has lectured at national and international security forums, and colleges and universities on a wide-variety of public safety and management topics. He actively assists other law enforcement agencies in such areas as gang suppression, CompStat-driven management principles, and crime reduction strategies. Cordero is a summa cum laude graduate of the New York Institute of Technology. He was honorably discharged from the US Army National Guard in 1994, retiring with the rank of Major after serving 21 years. Cordero is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Massachusetts Chiefs of Police, and the American Society for Industrial Security.   Thursday, October 11, 2007 Devices Pinpoint Gunfire in Paterson By Ed Beeson HERALD NEWS PATERSON -- Seconds after a gun is fired on some of the city's most dangerous streets, police will know. The Paterson Police Department plans to install a ring of technology around parts of the city that will alert authorities immediately as to where and when shots are fired. The gunshot detection technology uses dozens of coffee can-sized acoustic sensors placed on rooftops around a 2-square-mile section of the city. When gunfire is detected, the sensors will work in concert to triangulate the exact spot where the weapon was fired. That location, guaranteed to be precise within 25 meters or less, is then relayed to police dispatchers as red dots on a satellite-generated map.Dispatchers can then send police cruisers to investigate. This process -- from trigger pull to police alert -- takes between five and 12 seconds, allowing police an incredible response time." The faster you get there, the more witnesses or suspects you have," Capt. Danny Nichols of the Paterson Police Department said. The technology's manufacturers also claim the system can differentiate between gunshots, firecrackers and backfiring cars. And it will also give police more reliable statistics on the amount of gunfire in the city, its supporters say. Paterson police estimate that only one out of every five gunshots is ever reported to police, and many times, that's only when someone has been shot. From January to September of 2006, there were 53 nonfatal shootings in the city, according to the Paterson Police CeaseFire unit. Over the same period this year, there were 27 nonfatal shootings. On Wednesday, representatives from ShotSpotter, a California-based company that manufactures gunshot detection technology, briefed senior Paterson police officials at Passaic County Community College on the technology's promise and its implementation across the city. When the sensors go up, Paterson will be joining a growing club of its early adopters. About 20 municipalities and counties across the country, including East Orange, have installed ShotSpotter. Many other cities, including Newark after a triple murder in August of three university students, have announced plans to acquire it. The enthusiasm is partly bolstered by reports of captured criminals and deterred crimes. According to news reports, police in Washington D.C. say they have caught shooting suspects thanks to the ShotSpotter technology paid for by the FBI. >In East Orange, which has experienced a dramatic, 56 percent drop in crime since 2003, police credit ShotSpotter with deterring people from even pulling the trigger.< The promise of the technology has even swayed critics of the city's administration and police brass. "It's a wonderful project, if it does as it claims to do," said Councilman Aslon Goow, chairman of the City Council's public safety committee. "Between our two (anti-gun violence) components, our CeaseFire program and that, I think it should be a tremendous success." That said, the system is not cheap. In June, the City Council approved spending $329,000 from its general funds to install the system and pay for its first year of service. After that, the city will pay more than $49,000 for each additional year. Detailed incident reports from the system, used for investigation, cost up to $1,000 each. It's unclear where the cash-strapped city found the money to pay for the system. Mayor Jose "Joey" Torres did not return a telephone call to his office seeking comment. The company plans to establish an initial ring around Paterson's northern edges, encompassing parts of the Totowa section, downtown and the city's Fourth Ward. About 35 sensors will be placed atop public, commercial and residential buildings with the landlord or owners' permission. If the program is successful, then police Director Michael Walker said he plans to press for an additional 2-square-mile coverage area. The ShotSpotter sensors will also be coordinated with the city's 12 remote cameras, which will be increased to 44 next year. If gunfire is detected in the area of the camera, then the camera will turn to focus on the source of the sound. It will take approximately 90 days to install the sensors once the locations are selected, ShotSpotter representatives said. And, pending city approval, police will need to calibrate the system by going around the city and firing blanks into the air. "If live fire is not allowed," ShotSpotter project manager AJ James jokingly told the gathering of Paterson police officials, "then we're going to have to let the community calibrate the system."   Sunday July 1st, 2007 Homicides Soar in Some East Coast Cities By MARYCLAIRE DALE Associated Press Writer Baltimore, Philadelphia and other cities in a bloodstained corridor along the East Coast are seeing a surge in killings, and one of the most provocative explanations offered by criminal-justice experts is this: not enough new immigrants. The theory holds that waves of hardworking, ambitious immigrants reinvigorate desperately poor black and Hispanic neighborhoods and help keep crime down. It is a theory that runs counter to the widely held notion that immigrants are a source of crime and disorder. "New York, Los Angeles, they're seeing massive immigration - the transformation, really, of their cities from populations around the world," said Harvard sociologist Robert J. Sampson. "These are people selecting to go into a country to get ahead, so they're likely to be working hard and stay out of trouble." It is only a partial explanation for the bloodshed over the past few years in a corridor that also includes Newark, N.J., and Boston, but not New York City. In interviews with The Associated Press, homicide detectives, criminal justice experts and community activists point to a confluence of other possible factors. Among them: a failure to adopt some of the innovative practices that have reduced violence in bigger cities; the availability of powerful guns; and a shift in emphasis toward preventing terrorism instead of ordinary street crime. Philadelphia is losing one resident a day to violence, recording 196 homicides through the third week of June. That is slightly ahead of the total at this point in 2006, a year that ended with 406 homicides, the most in almost a decade. On the first day of summer alone, six people were killed in Philadelphia in three street shootings. In Newark, the homicide toll has soared 50 percent in four years, from 68 in 2002 to 106 in 2006. Baltimore had 140 slayings as of June 10, up from 122 the same time last year. Boston had 75 homicides in 2005, a 10-year high, and 75 in 2006. So far this year, there have been at least 30 slayings. Some cities "never bothered to institute the reforms, policies and programs that impacted violent crime because they felt immune from what they saw as big-city issues," said Jack Levin, director of the Brudnick Center on Violence at Northeastern University in Boston. "Now they're paying the price." These efforts include limiting gun purchases, suing rogue dealers and deploying officers more strategically, based on crime data analysis. Others blame a resigned acceptance of "quality-of-life" crimes, such as running red lights and vandalism. Some law enforcement authorities argue that ignoring such crimes breeds disrespect and cynicism and leads to more serious offenses. The vast majority of U.S. homicides - nearly 90 percent in Newark last year - involve guns. And they are more powerful than ever. The weapons of choice are semiautomatics that can spray dozens of bullets within seconds. "We're seeing 40, 45 shots," said Richard Ross, Philadelphia's deputy police commissioner. In one recent killing, "I think they fired 20 shots into him. That's remarkable." He added: "For some of these young people, it's the glamour of it. They want to carry on their block." Some cite a drop in federal aid for ordinary law enforcement in favor of homeland security spending. According to Ross, federal grants used mostly for police overtime in Philadelphia fell from more than $4 million in 2002 to about $1 million last year. The number of police officers per capita has fallen 10 percent since 2000 in cities of more than 225,000, according to Northeastern University criminologist James Alan Fox. Yet post-Sept. 11 fears, especially in Boston, have forced police to monitor government buildings and transportation hubs while also watching for street crime, he said. "We've shifted our resources from hometown security to homeland security," Fox said. "We have left relatively unattended the poor and powerless who face violence every day and hear gunshots every night." University of Pennsylvania criminologist Lawrence W. Sherman is a prime exponent of the theory that immigration exerts a moderating effect on crime among poor black men. "Cities that have heavily concentrated and segregated African-American poverty are the places that have increases in homicide," Sherman said. "The places that have lots of immigration tend not to have nearly as much segregation and isolation" of poor blacks. Sherman acknowledges the theory is evolving and unproven. "The fundamental driver of the homicide rate is honor killings among young black men," Sherman said. "What is it about immigration that tends to tone it down? I don't think we know the answer to it." He said immigrants "change the spirit" of a community and affect the way young black men in poor areas relate to each other. "It seems a plausible way to account for the big difference in the trajectory of homicides" in stagnant cities versus ones with lots of immigration, he said. The percentage of foreign-born residents is 11 percent in Philadelphia, compared with 22 percent in Chicago, 37 percent in New York and 40 percent in Los Angeles, according to 2005 census figures. Alison Sprague, executive director of Victim/Witness Services of South Philadelphia, suggested there is some merit to the theory. Immigrants in Philadelphia tend to be crime victims rather than perpetrators, she said. "I really do think the vast majority of people are trying to earn a living and support their families and stay under the radar," Sprague said. Illegal immigrants, especially, "have every motivation not to get involved in something." Dorothy Johnson-Speight of Philadelphia, whose 24-year-old son was shot to death over a parking space in 2001, doesn't buy it. "If there were more immigrants in the city of Philadelphia, there would be less violence? I'm not making the connection here. I'm not getting it," she said. In New York, city leaders have pushed through strict gun-control laws while attacking social ills such as littering and loitering. New York's homicide toll has plummeted to one-fourth its 1990 high of 2,245. The count could slip below 500 this year. Just across the Hudson River, in Newark, the poverty and employment picture remains grim. Unemployment hit 18 percent in 2004, and 27 percent of families live in poverty. New York's unemployment rate, by contrast, was 4.9 percent in May. "The second-tier cities have fewer economic possibilities for people," said Arlene Bell, a former prosecutor who now runs youth centers in Philadelphia. "When there are no opportunities for kids growing up, no possibility of entering the work force - particularly with their level of education - they're left to their own devices." Chicago, whose jobless rate was 4.7 percent in May, has seen its death toll drop sharply from the first part of the decade, when more than 600 homicides were recorded for three straight years. The city had 467 homicides in 2006, and this year the numbers are running about even. Similarly, Los Angeles, where unemployment stood at 4.7 percent last month, recorded 481 homicides in 2006 - less than half the number seen in the early 1990s. By mid-June of this year, the city had 172 killings.   Wednesday, June 13, 2007 East Orange Council reappoints Police Director BY KEVIN C. DILWORTH Star-Ledger Staff East Orange Police Director Jose Cordero's contract was renewed by the city council, whose members mostly praised the veteran cop credited with spearheading anti-crime efforts that have led to three years of across-the-board drops in every major crime area. The renewal, which was approved by a 6-3 vote Monday night, runs through Dec. 31, 2009, the end of Mayor Robert Bowser's current term. Cordero's annual pay, about $140,000, continues. "First and foremost, I was extremely grateful and humbled by the outpouring of support, by the number of people who were there, and their testimony, to their own senses of public safety in the city," Cordero said yesterday. "To me, that is the real measure of success." Cordero, a retired New York City police inspector to whom the city council unanimously awarded a three-year contract in July 2004, praised the 250 members of the police force, and the city's elected officials, for collectively supporting anti-crime efforts that have helped produce a 56 percent drop in crimes, in all major categories. "To any police officer who is truly committed to their profession and to making this city safe, (Monday) night was a tribute to them," the 50-year-old, Bronx-born Cordero said. Eleven people -- residents, business owners, Chamber of Commerce president Raymond L. Scott, former Third Ward Councilman Clinton Robinson, Essex County Juvenile Detention Center official Todd Warren and senior citizens -- came to the council chambers' podium to individually praise Cordero for helping transform the police department, turning it into a more visible, more responsive and friendlier force. Cordero's law enforcement accomplishments are so renowned, so the only matter the council should be discussing is "what kind of pay raise he should get," attorney Ronald Johnson told the governing body, before the vote. "When a person comes into the city of East Orange, and, in such a short time, you see a (positive) difference, I say God bless him," said Barbara Atlantic, a Madonna Place homeowner. Criminals now think twice before even coming to East Orange to break the law, said Robinson, the former councilman.   Thursday May 31st, 2007 FBI Says Violent Crime Still Increasing By LARA JAKES JORDAN Associated Press Writer Violent crime kept climbing in 2006, a top FBI official said Wednesday, previewing a report detailing nationwide increases in murders, robberies and other felonies for a second straight year. The rising crime rate, in an FBI report expected next week, counters Justice Department attempts to tamp down violence by sending more funds to local police and studying U.S. cities for clues on how the increase began. Asked if the report would show crime rates are still rising, FBI Assistant Director John Miller said: "I think you can anticipate it will." He declined to say by how much. Miller said the FBI's findings will largely mirror those of the Police Executive Research Forum, a Washington think-tank that in March reported spikes in the number of big-city murders, robberies and gun crimes. That survey "showed that there would be, in all likelihood, a continued uptick in violent crime, particularly among midsized American cities," Miller said during an interview taped for C-SPAN's Newsmakers program. "The data we're going to release Monday will contain no big surprises in that regard." Preliminary numbers the FBI released in December showed violent crimes rose by 3.7 percent nationwide during the first six months of 2006. The crime hike marks the latest blow to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, who has targeted neighborhood violence as a top priority. Gonzales took office in early 2005, when violent crime rose by 2.2 percent in the first annual increase since 2001. A Justice Department study released earlier this month of 18 cities and suburban regions indicates youth violence, gangs and gun crime largely are to blame for the increasing rates. Gonzales also has promised to help local police combat gangs and guns with $50 million this year and up to $200 million in 2008. Miller, answering questions from reporters for the New York Daily News and The Associated Press, said the FBI's focus on counter terror investigations since the 2001 attacks have inevitably resulted in fewer agents devoted to traditional crime fighting. "Certainly we've put fewer personnel into violent crime in the post-9/11 era because the demands have simply been that our top priority is to counter and prevent another terrorist attack," he said. "And to do that we had to increase resources there." Miller also described "a high tempo of terrorist activity" globally that the FBI is monitoring. Asked if the FBI has identified any cells of al-Qaida terrorists in the United States, he answered: 'I can't tell you that. And that doesn't mean the answer is no."' On another topic, Miller said an internal FBI review of its use - and abuse - of administrative subpoenas known as national security letters has uncovered "much of the same problems" revealed in a March audit by the Justice Department's inspector general. The damning audit found the FBI improperly used the letters to secretly obtain Americans' personal data from telephone and Internet companies. "Since we are looking at the same system - but a much larger sampling than the IG did - we're finding the same problems within that system," Miller said. "As we expected to." Miller said the FBI is taking steps to fix the problem, including stronger oversight, better training and clearer guidance for agents about the rules governing investigations. Friday, December 22, 2006 Carjack suspect kills self in cell Man found hanging, E. Orange police say A 31-year-old man used a pair of long underwear to hang himself in his cell in the East Orange police station after being held for nearly three days on carjacking charges, police said yesterday. The suspect, Frances Antwi of East Orange, was alone in the cell area when he was found hanging about 9 p.m. Wednesday, said Detective Andrew DiElmo, a police spokesman. He said a medical examiner pronounced him dead at the scene at 9:34 p.m. DiElmo said Antwi hung himself in a section of the cell invisible to video monitors. He said the suspect had been checked on hourly, as is standard procedure. "He was out of the view of our cameras," DiElmo said. "He had found one of the spots where you cannot see." DiElmo said this is believed to be the second suicide in the lockup on Munn Avenue in recent decades, although there have been other attempts. He said the last suicide occurred in 1996 or 1997. Antwi was one of three carjacking suspects arrested Monday at about 1 a.m. at his home on Sunnyside Terrace. The three were charged with involvement in two recent carjackings in East Orange. The first carjacking occurred at 9:30 p.m. Sunday. Four men with ski masks used a shotgun to steal a man's 2001 Land Rover in the rear parking lot of a Rhode Island Avenue apartment building off South Munn Avenue, DiElmo said. The vehicle was later found outside a lounge on Halsted Street in Newark. In the second incident, a lone man with a mask and a shotgun stole a woman's 2006 Pontiac G6 while she was stopped at South Harrison and Clay streets to drop off a male relative on Monday at 12:30 a.m. Her vehicle was found parked outside of Antwi's home, according to DiElmo. He said police linked the vehicle to the three suspects through a brief surveillance operation. The other two suspects, Craig Beckford, 20, of East Orange and Richardo Henry, 23, of Irvington, had already been transferred to the county jail in Newark by Wednesday evening. But DiElmo said Antwi had been held in the municipal lockup for further questioning. DiElmo said state guidelines permit police to hold suspects in the municipal police station for questioning for up to 72 hours. Antwi was found hanging 68 hours after his arrest. Paul Loriquet, a spokesman for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, said he could not immediately confirm the existence of a guideline pertaining to the transfer of prisoners to the county. He said the matter was being reviewed by his office as a matter of routine.   Sunday August 7, 2005 East Orange fights gunfire with technology Police test system to quickly identify source of shots Mobile acoustical sensors have been used in Afghanistan to help U.S. soldiers pinpoint the location of snipers seconds after being fired upon. Now, East Orange police will test the same technology for the next six months in hopes of increasing response time to reports of gunfire in the city. The acoustic gunshot detection sensors will be synchronized with video cameras strategically placed around the city. Once the sensors detect a gunshot, the cameras will aim their lenses in the direction of that gunfire, and record everything happening in that location. East Orange is believed to be the first community in the Northeast to employ this system. "This is military technology, for the most part, that is being put into civilian use," explained Police Sgt. Chris Anagnostis. The acoustic gunshot detection concept itself has been used "in Afghanistan, for sniper detection, and now it's been designed for use in urban areas," Anagnostis said. Through the use of dozens of small movable acoustical sensor boxes and video surveillance cameras placed around the four-square-mile city, East Orange police soon anticipate being able to respond to violence far more quickly than by waiting for citizen-generated phone calls or complaints, Anagnostis said. "The sensors are designed to detect the acoustic characteristics of gunshots, triangulate the reported gunshot sounds, pinpoint the originating location, and then transmit that information," Anagnostis said. Laptop computers, along with large, flat video screens in the city's police headquarters communications room, then will provide police with a close-up satellite map overlay, and even note the exact time gunshots rang out within seconds, not minutes, Anagnostis said. Although the concept is being fine-tuned for large-scale use in one Virginia community, police officials in Austin, Texas -- where a similar effort was tested between July and October 2001 -- decided it did not serve law enforcement needs there. To help reduce gun violence in Newport News, Va., the 420-member police force began testing and fine-tuning the same type of acoustic gunshot detection system seven months ago, said Lou Thurston, a spokesman for that law enforcement agency. Tuesday June 7, 2005 Attorney General issues Guidance Regarding the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2004   TO: All County Prosecutors Colonel Joseph R. Fuentes, Superintendent, Division of State Police All Police Chiefs All Law Enforcement Chief Executives FROM: Peter C. Harvey, Attorney General DATE: June 7, 2005 RE: Guidance Regarding the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2004 [Pl. 108-277 (H.R. 218) The recently enacted Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act of 2004, 18 U.S.C.A. §926B and §926C ("H.R. 218") allows full-time active duty and retired law enforcement officers, how to meet specific criteria to carry concealed firearms anywhere throughout the nation without having first obtained permits to carry from a foreign state. The passage of H.R. 218 has raised a number of questions with regard to New Jersey's police officers traveling out of state as well as with police officers from other jurisdictions visiting our state. A. Full-Time Active Duty Officers With respect to full-time active duty police officers, we discourage agencies from permitting their officers to take the agency issued weapons out of state. Nonetheless, each New Jersey law enforcement agency should, in consultation with its legal counsel, make its own determination. In formulating a policy, each agency should consider the following issues. First, firearms issued by a police department are government property; making each agency potentially liable for the use or misuse of that weapon by one of its police officers. Liability may attach for the misuse of a weapon regardless of whether the officer is on personal business outside of his or her jurisdiction. If your agency currently requires officers to carry their agency issued weapon off duty, then it may be prudent to evaluate that restriction in light of the passage of H.R. 218. Second, H.R. 218 does not provide active duty police officers with law enforcement powers or immunities outside of their jurisdictions. While on personal business, police officers are ordinary citizens who happen to have the right to carry concealed weapons as a result of H.R. 218. Each agency must determine whether it will provide legal representation to officers who may fire or otherwise use their agency issued weapon while out of state on personal business. We recommend that all agencies clearly and unequivocally advise their officers of the foregoing by way of a clearly written policy. We are also requesting that all agencies remind active full-time police officers that they do not possess police powers or immunities in other states and are personally responsible for checking and understanding the laws of any jurisdictions that they visit while armed. B. Active Duty Police Officers From Other States We have received a number of inquiries from police officers from other jurisdictions inquiring as to their "authority" under H.R. 218 while they travel through or remain in New Jersey while on personal business. The appropriate response is that they are ordinary citizens while visiting our state and possess no police powers. Similarly, the federal law does not provide immunity to out of state officers who commit firearms related offenses within New Jersey. Please advise out of state officers who seek guidance that if they happen upon a situation in our state that requires police intervention, they should call the appropriate state, county, or municipal police department to respond. Finally, some jurisdictions permit their citizens and police officers to openly carry their weapons. Please be advised that H.R. 218 permits only the carrying of concealed firearms. C. Retired Police Officers The passage of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act does not alter the obligation of retired New Jersey law enforcement officers to comply with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-6I in order to carry a firearm in this state. Absent statutory changes to our retired officer permitting procedures, it remains in full effect and officers must comply with its requirements. Furthermore, retired New Jersey police offices who carry a gun in another state are ordinary citizens. The right to carry a gun under H.R. 218 does not imply the right to exercise police powers. Further information concerning the rights and obligations of retired New Jersey police officers to carry a firearm under H.R. 218 will be issued in the near future. D. Other Restrictions Finally, H.R. 218 does not supersede or limit existing New Jersey law. Therefore, it remains permissible for private business and government agencies (such as casinos and schools), as many currently do, to restrict the possession of firearms on their property.   Friday, May 13, 2005 Selfless Acts of Bravery 200 Club of Essex honors Police and Firefighters with Valor Awards Thomas Koundry had several life and death decisions to make in an East Orange parking lot last year. The police sergeant could shoot the gunman racing toward him, or he could risk his life and get hit by the car because an errant shot might injure nearby pedestrians." The lesser of two evils would have been him running me over," Koundry said. "I couldn't personally live with the fact knowing I put innocent lives in danger." He didn't. Koundry was able to disarm the gunman, who slowed the vehicle after Koundry continued to demand that he stop. It's not uncommon for firefighters and police officers to put their lives on the line. And yesterday, the 200 Club of Essex County honored 21 public servants with Valor Awards for their selfless acts of bravery and heroism. The club, founded in 1966, was started to assist families of police officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty. "We don't give enough credit to the public-safety officers and firefighters who are out there protecting us," said Arthur S. Guida, club president and director of external affairs for Public Service Electric & Gas. "This is something that goes on every day, and we want to recognize what they do for us." Jim Willse, editor of The Star- Ledger and keynote speaker for the event, offered his share of praise during the luncheon. Willse told a room filled with public servants and their family members that they show "grace under pressure" while performing acts of heroism to protect the public. In Irvington, firefighters Wayne Hodo, Edward Nieuzytek and Darrin Zignoli saved a 19-year-old paralyzed man and two elderly women who were trapped in an apartment fire on March 28 of last year. Deputy Chief Matt Hibbett said the fire was on the second floor, but his men put themselves in danger because they climbed past the blaze to save the three people on the third floor. "You see the people up there, and that's who you're focused on," Hodo said, explaining why he didn't hesitate. Essex County Sheriff's Officer Kennedy Murray said he was humble and thankful to be alive after his ordeal in July last year. Murray was shot in the abdomen by a man wanted in a Jersey City homicide. The 17-year veteran said he was just doing his job when he and a fugitive-hunting task force went to arrest the man at a Newark apartment. The suspect fired several shots through the door. One bullet struck Murray's protective shield, and another went under his bulletproof vest and lodged in his abdomen. A bulletproof vest saved the life of Newark police officer Patrick Gonnella, who was shot seven times shortly before midnight on July 13. The vest stopped four bullets -- three in his back and one in his chest. He also was shot twice in the leg and once in the shoulder by William Gainous, 20, of Newark when Gonnella and his partners, Javier Rivera and Horacio Lorenzo, approached a group of people loitering on 16th Avenue. Gainous pulled out a handgun and fired several shots. Rivera shielded Gonnella with his own body while Lorenzo chased after Gainous. The pursuit ended when the suspect crouched in a firing position and refused to drop his weapon. He was shot to death by police. "If I didn't have a vest on, I would have been dead," Gonnella said. Gonnella said he was honored to be recognized for doing his job. "I just wish it wasn't for getting shot," he said.   Wednesday, April 06, 2005 E. Orange under-reported key crime statistics City still recorded big drop, but director blames errors on ex-police chief   The East Orange police failed to report 1,063 major crimes in 2003 and 476 crimes in 2004, but the readjusted statistics still showed significant crime reductions, officials said this week. Murders, rapes, robberies, aggravated assaults, burglaries, thefts and auto thefts collectively totaled 5,306 incidents last year, not the 4,830 as first reported. And in 2003, the number was 7,249, not the 6,186 crimes originally reported in the New Jersey State Police Uniformed Crime Report, officials said. Civilian Police Director Jose Cordero said he uncovered the under-reporting earlier this year, ordered a review of all arrest statistics for the past two years under now-retired Police Chief Charles Grimes and subsequently informed the State Police of the correct figures. "They were way off," Mayor Robert Bowser said of the statistics that Grimes, as chief, reported. The statistics pointed to a 22 percent, rather than a 20 percent, drop in crime. "At first, we thought it might have been something that was reported in error." Cordero said Grimes was responsible for providing the incorrect information. Patrick Toscano, Grimes' attorney in Nutley, was not immediately available to respond. In order to implement a plan to better address public safety concerns throughout 4-square-mile East Orange, "we need accurate statistical information," Bowser said. Cordero said a random review of one month's crime statistics showed Grimes' figures reflected 70 fewer incidents than actually happened, and that discrepancy prompted him to order a review of all seven major crimes reported for all of last year, compared with 2003. "Now that the correct figures have been verified, we have a better basis upon which we can make comparisons and put in place initiatives to address specific locations, different types of crime, and establish priorities," Bowser said of the 281-member police force. The police department's goal is to incrementally make East Orange a safer and better place to live, work and do business, and to ensure that perception -- especially to those developers and businesses looking to invest in East Orange -- is a reality, Bowser and Cordero said. Two law enforcement initiatives -- the police department's Enhanced Community Safety Team and Violent Crimes Task Force -- are helping make those dreams possible, Cordero said. The safety team, a 30-member group headed by Police Capt. Paul Davis, is assigned the task of tackling everything from open drug sales to violent robberies, Cordero said. The task force, made up of detectives headed by Lt. William Robinson, has the job of trying not only to penetrate and dismantle gangs in the city, but of developing ways to curb gang recruitment and stopping gang warfare retaliation, Cordero said. Since December, the police -- with the help of those two law enforcement specialty units -- have arrested and jailed more than 500 people for everything from various violent crimes, to quality-of-life issues that include littering, illegal garbage dumping, noise complaints and motor vehicle speeding, Cordero said. Aside from correcting the police department's crime statistics and outlining new crime-fighting accomplishments, Cordero -- the civilian police director hired last August -- announced staffing changes on Monday within the police department's community services unit. Sgt. DeLacy Davis, who headed up that unit for the past several years and who last week staged an anti-Cordero and anti-Bowser protest rally outside city hall, has been reassigned to day police patrol duties. The community services unit -- which promotes block watch, home and business safety efforts, as well as overseeing the nonprofit and separate Police Athletic League after-school and weekend program for young people -- is now being supervised by Police Lt. Norwood Hickson, and run by Sgt. C. Bilal Hall, Cordero said. Cordero denied that retaliation or politics had anything to do with reassigning Davis, who has staged several protests against the Bowser and Cordero administrations, and who has criticized them on radio broadcasts and accused them of trying to dismantle PAL programs he put together. "We're looking for the best ways to reach as many of our young people as we can, and we are not going to limit ourselves to any one program (such as PAL)," Cordero said. On the subject of PAL, a preliminary review of that voluntary program showed Davis and Grimes allowed officers to get paid the equivalent of $458,815 in cash, overtime and compensatory time last year alone, Cordero has said. Davis has denied anyone got paid cash for volunteering with PAL. The figures being tossed around appear to be linked to ones supplied on federal grant forms that asked for the salary equivalent of in-kind services police provided youngsters, Davis said. As for eligibility forms, Davis said for two years the city never asked for them, and when it did, PAL supplied them to the city's monitor, planning department employee James Williams. Anything that was found not in compliance was corrected immediately "to his (Williams') satisfaction," Davis said. Despite Davis' claims that as many as 2,500 youngsters are served by various PAL programs, Cordero said, police files show 1,750 kids may be involved, only 183 of whom filled out required federal eligibility forms, and 23 of those individuals are ineligible, Cordero said. Wednesday, March 30, 2005 East Orange Reaches Deal With Police Chief Grimes To Retire, Drop Suit, Accept $185,000 The attorney representing outgoing East Orange Police Chief Charles Grimes yesterday said the veteran lawman chose to retire from his job because of "a negligible yet politically influential faction of people either jealous of his popularity" or who felt threatened by him. Following a tumultuous few years during which Grimes frequently locked horns with Mayor Robert Bowser, the city's former civilian board of police commissioners and other municipal officials, Grimes and the city mutually agreed that he drop his lawsuit, accept a $185,000 settlement and retire on Friday. "Charles Grimes has an unimpeachable record in law enforcement for over 40 years," said Grimes' attorney, Patrick Toscano Jr. of Nutley. "He is exceedingly popular among the ladies and gentlemen who work for him in the department. He is a strong yet compassionate leader." Bowser denied politics had anything to do with Grimes' decision to leave the 281-member police force. In fact, he said, plans are afoot to "to have some sort of ceremony to honor his longevity of service." Toscano said his 62-year-old client had a tough time dealing with the political hypocrisy of individuals with whom he was forced to work. When Grimes last fall requested pay for 480 hours of compensatory time that he had accrued over his nearly 40-year career, city officials balked and told him to take the time off in lieu of getting paid more than an estimated $100,000. Toscano said other police department personnel had gotten paid for their accrued compensatory time in the past, but Grimes was denied that same right. Instead, they directed Grimes "to stay at home, for several months," Toscano said. "Chief Grimes realized the hypocrisy of their actions and filed suit accordingly. "Despite the pendency of the litigation, an exceptionally substantial offer of settlement was made by East Orange which, if rejected, would defy logic and common sense," Toscano said. "Chief Grimes has been here for close to 40 years, worked his way up through the ranks, distinguished himself by becoming the chief, and we jointly worked out a retirement deal and came to all the financial arrangements that were satisfactory to both parties," Bowser said. "As the most important individuals in Chief Grimes' life are his wife and children, the decision to accept the offer was effortless," Toscano said. "Chief Grimes wishes his entire department the best of luck in the future, and further wishes to relay to all of his employees his heartfelt appreciation for their unconditional support throughout the years." On Monday night, the city council voted 9-0 to allow Grimes to retire, effective Friday, in exchange for East Orange paying him $185,000 and for Grimes, in turn, agreeing to drop his lawsuit against the city. Grimes also agreed not to pursue any future economic claims against East Orange. Only Councilwoman Quilla Talmadge, Grimes' sister-in-law, refused to participate in the vote that ended Grimes' career in the city. Deputy Police Chief Michael Cleary is serving as the city's acting police chief, as he has been doing since Grimes began using up his compensatory time last December. "We will keep him as acting chief for a while, until we decide what to do," Bowser said.   Saturday, January 8, 2005 Good drivers out there who feel that they're paying too much for the bad drivers take heed. Good drivers in New Jersey and DC are paying through the nose to cover the costs of the less careful, while bad drivers in South and North Dakota live in auto insurance heaven despite their wanton ways. That's a bit unfair to the Garden State and the Nation's Capitol-those are considered entirely urban and probably shouldn't be compared to rural states. Leaving those two alone would then give Massachusetts and New York the dubious distinction of being the most premium-heavy jurisdictions. Natives won't be surprised-all over the Union these states' streets (or at least the drivers on them) are reputed to be especially mean. When was the last time you heard of a New York cabbie pleasantly yielding the right-of-way with a wave and a smile? The Most Expensive States for Auto Insurance FYI 1. District of Columbia 2. New Jersey 3. Massachusetts 4. New York 5. Connecticut 6. Delaware 7. Nevada 8. Rhode Island 9. Louisiana 10. Arizona   Sunday, December 12, 2004 Purest heroin in U.S. hitting New Jersey streets Drug's power nearly twice national average Within the next few weeks, the federal Drug Enforcement Agency will announce what every junkie in the state already knows: New Jersey has the country's purest heroin. For the second straight year, DEA lab tests of samples bought on the street will show unprecedented levels of heroin purity. In 2002, New Jersey heroin was 71.4 percent pure, nearly twice the national average. A report on the 2003 numbers will be out soon, according to federal DEA spokesman Rusty Payne, and New Jersey again will hold the nation's top spot. "You can't buy any better heroin in the world than you can buy in New Jersey," said Michael Pasterchick, special agent in charge of the Newark DEA office. The dubious distinction presents a chilling set of health challenges, authorities said, from greater risks of overdose and death, to new difficulties trying to treat addicts. The new heroin also is more addictive and easier to use. And unlike the heroin of a yesteryear, which was perhaps 5 percent or 10 percent pure and needed to be injected to achieve a high, today's heroin is pure enough to be snorted or smoked, making it more attractive to younger people who often mistakenly believe something they snort won't be addictive. "In New Jersey, heroin is inexpensive, it's pure and it's everywhere," said Jim O'Brien, Executive Director for Addiction Treatment Providers of New Jersey. "Of all the drugs we deal with, heroin is the biggest problem." The drug hits the streets of New Jersey so pure, authorities said, because it has not been resold and diluted with additives, since the state is the first stop for so many drug traffickers.   Friday, December 10, 2004 Cop chief sues for pay, not compensatory time East Orange mayor cites cost of $100,000 East Orange Police Chief Charles Grimes is challenging a city order that he take time off rather than be paid in cash for 480 hours of compensatory time. Attorney Patrick Toscano, representing Grimes, filed a request for a show-cause order yesterday in Superior Court in Newark. He is seeking to overturn the city's decision that the chief should stay home for 45 work days beginning Nov. 22, and the appointment of Deputy Chief Michael Cleary as acting chief during Grimes' absence. Friday, November 19, 2004 Suspect in East Orange slayings won't waive extradition A captured fugitive wanted for killing a 21-year-old man and 4-year-old girl in East Orange, and for attempting to kill three others, has refused to waive extradition from Jacksonville, Fla., to New Jersey, an assistant Essex County prosecutor in Newark said yesterday. Luxon Coriolan's refusal to surrender following his arrest Tuesday has prompted the prosecutor's office to file extradition papers, Assistant Prosecutor Howard Zuckerman said. The goal is to get Coriolan back in New Jersey to face justice within the next 30 to 90 days, said Zuckerman. Coriolan, 22, has been hunted since Aug. 20, 2003, when witnesses and police linked him to a drive-by shooting outside an apartment building at 17 Summit St. Police claim Coriolan, a Haitian national, pulled up in a car and used a shotgun to fire into two crowds of people socializing outside. In the end, Flynn Myers Jr., 21, and Navianna Hyppolite, 4, were killed, and Damon Abnathya, a then-25-year-old Montclair man, was wounded. Friday, October 15, 2004 Sticker shock: Change on decals surprises cops Motorists who received tickets here recently for not having registration decals on their license plates may be in luck. It's not a violation. The state Motor Vehicle Commission stopped issuing the color-coded registration decals on Oct. 1 as a cost-saving move. But at checkpoint on Warwick Road Saturday, Hi Nella police issued about 13 $54 tickets for the "unclear license plate" violation, said Lt. Raymond Papapietro of the borough police. Papapietro said the department was never notified the decals had been discontinued. "We are trying to find that out now. We just got material from the MVC," said Papapietro. He urged all those ticketed to attend the court hearing, where if found appropriate, the violation will be dismissed. Although the decals have been discontinued, motorists may still receive them in the mail because they were already prepared for mailing, said commission spokesman David Weinstein. Motorists who get the decals are not required to place them on their license plates, Weinstein said. The mailings are expected to continue through January. By scrapping the decals, the state will save about $400,000 a year, he said. Gordon Deal, a spokesman for the Motor Vehicle Commission, said the news was discussed with the New Jersey Police Chiefs Association before the commission's announcement. The information was passed down from the Attorney General's Office to local prosecutors and the various police departments, Deal said. Monday July 26th, 2004 The Law Enforcement Officers' Safety Act Signed Into Law By President Bush! Chuck Canterbury, National President of the Grand Lodge, Fraternal Order of Police, proudly announced that President George W. Bush signed H.R. 218, the "Law Enforcement Officers' Safety Act," into law earlier today. "Today's triumph was the result of a long, hard-fought battle," Canterbury said. "The Fraternal Order of Police has been working toward this day for over ten years. With the stroke of his pen, the President has made real the hopes of law enforcement officers across the nation." The legislation, sponsored by Representative Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-CA), was passed by the House in June, and then by the Senate earlier this month. It exempts qualified active and retired law enforcement officers from State and local prohibitions with respect to the carrying of concealed firearms. Canterbury and F.O.P. Executive Director Jim Pasco met privately with the President in the Oval Office before the bill signing. "The President has truly made this country a safer place," said Canterbury after the ceremony. "By enacting this legislation, President Bush has ensured that when officers are confronted with a situation to which they must react, they have the tools necessary to ensure their own safety, and the safety of their families and the public they have been sworn to protect." Now that the measure has been signed into law, active and retired law enforcement officers will be able to carry their firearms even when traveling outside their own jurisdictions. The bill, which was the F.O.P.'s top legislative priority, had wide, bipartisan support in both the House and Senate during its consideration in the Congress. "There are many people to whom we owe a debt of gratitude today. Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-CO), and Representatives Tom DeLay (R-TX) and Duke Cunningham (R-CA) were all instrumental in moving the bill through the legislative process. We are especially grateful to President Bush, a true friend to law enforcement. Without his tireless support, we would not be here today. But most importantly, we owe our thanks to all those F.O.P. members who have worked so hard to achieve this goal." The Fraternal Order of Police is the largest law enforcement labor organization in the United States, with more than 318,000 members. Monday June 21st, 2004 Police Can Require Names, Supreme Court Rules WASHINGTON - Siding with authorities in an important test of their power, a divided Supreme Court said Monday that citizens can be arrested for refusing to give their names to police. A name may be unique, but it's also a universal characteristic, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the 5-4 decision. So while the well-known right to remain silent is important with regard to information that could be incriminating, Kennedy said, "answering a request to disclose a name is likely to be so insignificant in the scheme of things as to be incriminating only in unusual circumstances." The decision drew sharp criticism from privacy and civil liberties groups that had rallied to support Larry Hiibel, the Nevada rancher whose challenge to police authority inspired the high court battle. But it drew praise from police advocates, who said the ability to ask routine questions is at the heart of investigative work. "This was not an unjustified demand of `your papers, please' by an officer of a totalitarian regime," said Charles Hobson, an attorney for the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation who offered a brief supporting police in the case. "It was a reasonable request by a sheriff's deputy who had been called to the scene of a suspected crime." The court would have "tied the hands of police" by siding with Hiibel, Hobson said. Hobson said it's important to note that the court isn't giving police a right to randomly stop people and ask them questions, only the right to ask important questions during a legal stop that results from reasonable suspicions. "If it's not a reasonable stop, you still don't have to answer," he said. Tim Lynch, who directs the libertarian Cato Institute's project on criminal justice, said the ruling muddles an issue that was already clear to most Americans. "With this ruling on the books, ordinary Americans will be hopelessly confused about when they can assert their right to `remain silent' without being jailed like Mr. Hiibel," Lynch said. "Today, the Supreme Court ruled that the government can turn a person's silence into a criminal offense." The case is a follow-up to a 1968 ruling that permitted police to stop people, on reasonable suspicion, and ask them questions. That ruling brought into question whether laws enabling officers to force citizens to "stop and identify" themselves were constitutional. Twice before, the court struck down such laws on technical grounds, but it left open the question of whether citizens must give their identities to police when asked during routine stops. In 2000, sheriff's deputies confronted Hiibel along a rural Nevada road after receiving report of an assault involving a man and a woman in a truck. Hiibel was standing outside a truck matching the description when officers arrived. His adult daughter was inside the truck. When the officers asked Hiibel who he was, he refused to give his name. After 11 attempts to make him identify himself, he was arrested under a state law that requires citizens to identify themselves to police during investigations. Hiibel was convicted and fined, but he challenged the result, saying police violated his constitutional rights against unreasonable searches and self-incrimination. A state appeals court denied his claims, and the Supreme Court agreed Monday. "Asking questions is an essential part of police investigations," Kennedy wrote. "In the ordinary course, a police officer is free to ask a person for identification without implicating" rights against unreasonable searches. Hiibel's disclosure of his name "presented no reasonable danger of incrimination," Kennedy wrote. While Hiibel may believe that he doesn't have to disclose his name, Kennedy said, the Constitution's protection against self-incrimination doesn't permit him to refuse it. He noted that Nevada doesn't require citizens to produce identification, such as a driver's license. It just compels them to give their names. Kennedy was joined by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist and Justices Sandra Day O'Connor, Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia. Justices John Paul Stevens, Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and David Souter dissented. Stevens wrote that a person's name can "provide the key to a broad array of information about the person, particularly in the hands of a police officer with access to a range of law enforcement databases." That information could be "tremendously useful" in a criminal prosecution, he said. Lynch, of the Cato Institute, said the court's ruling could provide an opportunity to further attack people's rights against self-incrimination. "Right now, people aren't required to take the witness stand during a trial, but I could see a prosecutor challenging that and using this opinion to say `I only want to ask question that aren't incriminating,' " Lynch said. "The court is opening a door on these issues that invites further litigation." He said the ruling could have the worst impact on people who "stand up for their rights." "Some people let the police walk all over them," Lynch said. "But some people want to stand up for themselves and assert themselves when they think police are out of line. It's a blow for people who think that way, because now you can get in trouble for it." Thursday May 13, 2004 N.J. Supreme Court allows warrantless search based on 911 call TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Law enforcement officers do not always need a warrant to search a home if someone there calls 911 — even if the occupant tells them that no emergency or other problem exists, the state Supreme Court has ruled. The decision stems from the case of Gary N. Frankel, 45, a Monmouth County man who was charged with marijuana possession and operating a marijuana farm after a police officer entered his Freehold Township home on June 21, 1999. The officer went there after someone at the house dialed 911 but did not say anything to the operator who handled the call. The officer said Frankel appeared nervous while telling the officer he lived alone and had not made the call. When the officer asked if he could look around the house, Frankel refused, but the officer entered anyway, saying he wanted to make sure there was no domestic violence victim or an injured person inside. The officer then searched the home after calling for backup and police soon found marijuana on a tray, as well as marijuana plants, grow lights and an elaborate watering system in a room in the basement. A judge suppressed the evidence, saying the warrantless search was not justified, but Frankel was convicted at trial. The Supreme Court reversed the judge's ruling Wednesday, saying the police acted properly. In a 5-1 decision, the justices said a 911 call "is tantamount to a distress call, even when there is no verbal communication over the telephone." The majority opinion, written by Justice Barry Albin, noted that warrantless searches are generally considered invalid under both the state and federal constitutions unless they can be justified. However, it said neither constitution demands that police "stand by in the face of an imminent danger and delay potential lifesaving measures while critical and precious time is expended obtaining a warrant." Citing legal doctrine known as the "emergency aid exception," Albin said officers may enter a home without a warrant "for the purpose of protecting and preserving life or preventing serious injury," but must base their decision "on the totality of the circumstances." In his dissenting opinion, Justice John Wallace wrote that although the matter was a "close case," a warrantless search was not justified. Analissa Sama, the deputy state attorney general who handled the case, called the ruling "wonderful," but Frankel's attorney, William H. Buckman, said it could erode privacy rights. "Police will have fairly broad authority to go into people's home," Buckman said. "As well-meaning as the court may want to be, they have carved out an exception that may swallow up a lot of rights to privacy." Monday April 26, 2004 AG UPDATES DWI STANDARD REFUSAL STATEMENT On April 26, 2004 the New Jersey Attorney General issued a revised version of the DWI Standard Refusal Statement which is required to be read to all persons arrested for DWI who are about to be asked to provide breath samples.  The reason for this update was the lowering of the per se blood alcohol content level from .10% BAC to .08% BAC. The revised version addresses the change. Also, a warning is included in the memorandum announcing the change.  It reads as follows:  "Please note, however, that the content of the Standard Statements cannot be altered or changed in any manner, and cannot be translated to any other language." To view the memorandum announcing the change, click here. To view the revised DWI Standard Refusal Statement, click here. E.O.P.D. ardently recommends that you view and print both to ensure that your agency is in full compliance with the change.   Thursday April 8th, 2004 New Cell Phone Statute for New Jersey As you know, some agencies are a little slow in getting the word out on new laws. Below is the actual text of the new cell phone statute for New Jersey. It goes into effect on July 1, 2004. The violation should be written under 39:4-97.3. 39:4-97.3 Use of hands-free wireless telephone in moving vehicle; definitions; enforcement. 1. a. The use of a wireless telephone by an operator of a moving motor vehicle on a public road or highway shall be unlawful except when the telephone is a hands-free wireless telephone, provided that its placement does not interfere with the operation of federally required safety equipment and the operator exercises a high degree of caution in the operation of the motor vehicle. b. The operator of a motor vehicle may use a hand-held wireless telephone while driving with one hand on the steering wheel only if: (1) The operator has reason to fear for his life or safety, or believes that a criminal act may be perpetrated against himself or another person; or (2) The operator is using the telephone to report to appropriate authorities a fire, a traffic accident, a serious road hazard or medical or hazardous materials emergency, or to report the operator of another motor vehicle who is driving in a reckless, careless or otherwise unsafe manner or who appears to be driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. A hand-held wireless telephone user's telephone records or the testimony or written statements from appropriate authorities receiving such calls shall be deemed sufficient evidence of the existence of all lawful calls made under this paragraph. As used in this act, "hands-free wireless telephone" means a mobile telephone that has an internal feature or function, or that is equipped with an attachment or addition, whether or not permanently part of such mobile telephone, by which a user engages in a conversation without the use of either hand; provided, however, this definition shall not preclude the use of either hand to activate, deactivate, or initiate a function of the telephone. "Use" of a wireless telephone shall include, but not be limited to, talking or listening to another person on the telephone. c. Enforcement of this act by State or local law enforcement officers shall be accomplished only as a secondary action when the operator of a motor vehicle has been detained for a violation of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes or another offense. d. A person who violates this section shall be fined no less than $100 or more than $250. e. No motor vehicle points or automobile insurance eligibility points pursuant to section 26 of P.L.1990, c.8 (C.17:33B-14) shall be assessed for this offense. f. The Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission shall develop and undertake a program to notify and inform the public as to the provisions of this act. L.2003,c.310,s.1. 39:4-97.4 Inapplicability of act to certain officials. 2.The prohibitions set forth in this act shall not be applicable to any of the following persons while in the actual performance of their official duties: a law enforcement officer; a member of a paid, part-paid, or volunteer fire department or company; or an operator of an authorized emergency vehicle. L.2003,c.310,s.2. 39:4-97.5 Supersedes, preemption of local ordinances. 3.This act supersedes and preempts all ordinances of any county or municipality with regard to the use of a wireless telephone by an operator of a motor vehicle. L.2003,c.310,s.3. Tuesday March 2nd, 2004 National Cop Carry May Be Killed By Anti-Gun Amendments Washington, DC ­ LEAA Executive Director and retired police officer Jim Fotis commended the United States Senate for their astonishing and overwhelming bi-partisan 91-8 vote today to allow qualified off duty and retired law enforcement officers to carry their firearms nationwide. This legislation (formerly S. 253) was an amendment to the S. 1805 "The Lawful Protection of Commerce in Arms Act." "Today's vote, with over 90% of the entire Senate voting yes, shows how partisan politics -- even in an election year -- can be put aside to benefit America's men and women of law enforcement," said Jim Fotis who co-authored the original National Concealed Carry for Cops legislation (H.R. 218) with Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-CA) nearly ten years ago. Prior to today's vote, S. 253 -- the Senate version of H.R. 218, National Concealed Carry for Cops -- had the support of 67 Senate cosponsors and was passed last April by the Senate Judiciary Committee in a vote of 18 to 1. The House version of this legislation, H.R. 218, also has a bi-partisan supermajority of support, currently with 289 cosponsors. Since LEAA's Executive Director Jim Fotis and Congressman "Duke" Cunningham first worked together to introduce this legislation a decade ago, the bill has come to receive the support of nearly every national organization representing rank and file law enforcement officers. Although Senator Kennedy stood virtually alone today in opposition to this bill, the ultimate future of this legislation remains unclear. In 1999, this legislation was attached to another big bill, the Juvenile Justice package. As an amendment to this big bill, H.R. 218 received an astounding 86% vote in the House of Representatives (372-53). At that time, however, anti-gun amendments relating to the fictional, "Gun Show Loophole" killed the entire package and with it National Concealed Carry for Cops. For more information about H.R. 218 or S. 253 please go to: http://leaa.org/218/218talk.html Saturday. January 17, 2004 Bill signed to make luring second-degree crime TRENTON: Gov. McGreevey has signed a bill that requires people who lure children into motor vehicles, buildings or isolated areas to serve time in state prison. Under the bill, such crimes will be considered a second-degree, rather than a third-degree, crime. The bill was introduced by Assemblyman James W. Holzapfel and Sen. Andrew R. Ciesla, both R-Ocean. By raising the penalty to a second-degree crime, there will be a legal presumption that the convicted person will serve between five and 10 years in prison. Tuesday. January 13, 2004 Police Can Set Up Roadblocks to Collect Crime Tips Supreme Court Says Such Checkpoints Don't Violate Privacy The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that police may set up roadblocks to collect tips about crimes, rejecting concerns that authorities might use the checkpoints to fish for unrelated suspicious activity. The 6-3 decision allows officers to block traffic and ask motorists for help in solving crimes. Critics have complained that authorities might misuse the power, disguising dragnets as ''informational checkpoints.'' Roadblocks are used for a variety of investigations. For example, in 2002 police used them to try to produce leads in the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping in Utah and the sniper shootings in the Washington, D.C., area. In Tuesday's decision, Justice Stephen Breyer said that short stops, ''a very few minutes at most,'' are not too intrusive on motorists, considering the value in crime-solving. Police may hand out fliers or ask drivers to volunteer information, he said. In a partial dissent, Justices John Paul Stevens, David H. Souter and Ruth Bader Ginsburg questioned whether random roadblocks yield any useful tips. The delays ''may seem relatively innocuous to some, but annoying to others ... still other drivers may find an unpublicized roadblock at midnight on a Saturday somewhat alarming,'' Stevens wrote for the three. The constitutionality of the informational roadblocks was challenged by Robert Lidster, accused of drunken driving at a 1997 checkpoint set up to get tips about an unrelated fatal hit-and-run accident. The roadblock was at the same spot and time of night that the hit-and-run took place about a week earlier. The case is Illinois v. Lidster, 02-1060. Friday, January 09, 2003 Bill for stricter DWI limit hailed locally Local officials praise a pending bill that will lower the legal limit for drunken driving in New Jersey, despite lower license suspension penalties that would accompany the legislation. The bill would drop the legal threshold for intoxication from .10 percent alcohol in a driver's blood to .08 percent, a change needed to avoid losing millions of dollars in federal aid for highway projects. In addition, fines and the period of license suspension will also be reduced for a first offense. First-time offenders with a blood alcohol reading of .08 would lose their driver's license for three months and pay from $250 to $400 in fines. With a blood alcohol of .10 or higher, first offenders would face fines up to $500 and a suspension from seven months to one year. Current law calls for fines of up to $400 and license suspensions from six months to one year for first offenses. Frank Winters, chairman of the New Jersey MADD organization, chief of Clayton Police and a member of the Gloucester County Highway Task Force, testified Thursday in front of the Senate Law, Public Safety and Veterans Affairs Committee which voted unanimously to approve the bill. While he said he is critical of lowering penalties for driving while intoxicated, he called the bill a good deterrent. Currently, Gloucester County ranks second in the state for drug and alcohol-related traffic fatalities. "We have been advocating to lower the blood alcohol level here from .10 to .08 since 1995," Winters said in an interview Thursday. "The reason for it is pretty simple and straightforward ... researchers determined that everyone loses critical driving skills at .08." "Impairment is impairment, it's not compartmentalized," Winters said. "There is a certain point where you shouldn't be driving." Local designated driving activist Bill Elliott agreed. Elliott, who lost his son, U.S. Navy Ensign John Elliott, in a drunken-driving crash in 2000 in Salem County, has spearheaded a campaign known as "John's Law," which requires police to impound the vehicle of an intoxicated driver. He has also led the Hero Campaign for Designated Driving, which asks bars to serve complementary soft drinks to a designated driver. "Anything that helps to deter drunk driving is beneficial," Elliott said of the bill. "I think both (John's) law and lowering the blood alcohol content will be effective deterrents. It makes getting stopped from drunk driving the serious crime that it is." Winters said the .08 BAC level should result in more convictions, though he did add that reducing the license suspension period to three months "marginalizes the seriousness of the problem." "It's been 48 years since we've had that minimal a suspension," Winters said. Despite campaigns by activists to lower the limit, owners of restaurants and bars have told lawmakers for years that if the threshold goes down, their business will be hurt. Winters called those arguments "bizarre." "We've shown in order to reach that much blood alcohol content, you have to work pretty hard at it," he said. Elliott agreed. "I believe this still reserves the right of people to have a good time and drink reasonably," Elliott said. Hopefully this will not affect the businesses of local, responsible bars." Gloucester County First Assistant Prosecutor Mary White also praised the latest step for the bill Thursday. "We are hopeful that the state Senate will pass this potentially life-saving legislation," White said. "This is a positive first step in reducing the number of drunk drivers on our roads, which will help save lives." Tuesday, December 2, 2003 NJ Pension Phone Line Updated The automated phone line which provides pension loan information has been updated to the  end of September.  If you are in the New Jersey Police & Fire Pension System, call 1-609-777-1777.  By using this automated phone line you can learn the following:    Loan, Purchase, and Withdrawal Information General Account Information Retirement Information Health Benefit Information Deferred Compensation Information NJ Police & Fire Pension Website Monday, November 17, 2003 Language Translation Website There is a website we found that allows you to enter text and have it translated to English or from English to several different languages.  Right now the site includes English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Dutch, Portuguese, Norwegian, and Chinese.  It is an excellent tool for law enforcement, but be careful as the translations are not always exact.  The site is http://www.Freetranslation.com.  Friday, October 24, 2003 East Orange agrees to raises to stem 'blue flu' City drops appeal of arbiter rulings when sick call-outs rise sharply BY KEVIN C. DILWORTH Star-Ledger Staff The "blue flu" became more contagious yesterday in East Orange, prompting the city to quickly find a cure. More than 120 police department employees called out sick, more than double the number who missed work Wednesday. Also, 16 of 27 firefighters -- all assigned to a single 24-hour-on-duty shift -- called out sick.

In what was seen as a response to the apparent work stoppage, city officials announced at 5:30 p.m. the administration had withdrawn its appeal of arbitration rulings in the city's contract dispute with four unions.

"On advice of legal counsel, and a re-evaluation of the financial impact of the settlement of labor agreements, we have made a decision to amicably conclude an agreement, in principle, with the police and fire unions," Business Administrator Joseph Jenkins said in a statement.

The city's police and fire department unions -- the Fraternal Order of Police Local 16, representing the rank and file officers; the police Superior Officer's Association; the Firemen's Mutual Benevolent Association; and the Firemen's Superior Officer's Association -- have been without contracts since mid- 1999.

City officials said 50 police officers and civilian employees missed work Wednesday and yesterday 122 employees did not come to work. On a normal day, perhaps 30 people or fewer in the approximately 300-member police department call out sick, according to Deputy Police Chief Bernard Antonovich.

Discord mushroomed after the city challenged a ruling issued Sept. 19 by state arbiter James Mastriani in which Mastriani rejected the city's request to freeze longevity among existing police superior officers and eliminate it for new hires.

"Existing employees have an expectation for earnings based upon accrual of time over their career," Mastriani wrote in his 74-page report. "The city's (longevity freezing and elimination) proposals could negatively impact on their continuing and stability of employment, and affect employee morale, which I do not believe is in the interest of the public."

After hearing about the city's decision, Lt. Norwood Hickson, president of the police Superior Officer's Association, said he hoped the administration would keep its word.

"We're hoping for the best right now," Hickson said. "We're hoping they do that as soon as possible. We're taking them at their word. Next, we're concerned as to just when the contract will become binding and the officers receive their pay raises."

For police officers, the longevity part of the agreements calls for those with five years of service to get a 2 percent wage hike added to their base salary, then 4 percent after 10 years, 6 percent after 15 years, 8 percent after 20 years, 14 percent after 22 years, and finally 16 percent after 24 years.

Capt. Paul Daly, president of the Superior Officer's Association that represents 41 fire captains and six deputy fire chiefs, said it has been one year since the arbitrator issued a ruling on the fire department contracts, which the unions approved but the city appealed.

"Firefighters called in sick, but it's not anything organized or endorsed by the union," Daly said. "We spoke pretty adamantly against it."

However, "The reason why the rank and file called out sick is out of anger," Daly explained. "The guys are really fed up, and they had to do something to draw attention to this. Everyone was involved in the arbitration process."

Five years without a pay raise infuriated many police and firefighters after Mayor Robert Bowser and the city council this year accepted huge wage hikes and retroactive pay for themselves, as well as for municipal departments heads. Police and firefighters complained about being snubbed and disrespected.

For fire superior officers, the arbitrator ruling means union members will get the same longevity as police superiors, plus retroactive 1 percent pay hikes effective July 1, 1999; another 1 percent retroactive to July 1, 2000; a zero percent increase, but 14 days of holiday pay thrown into each union member's base salary effective July 1, 2001; and a retroactive 3.5 percent salary hike to July 1, 2002.

Fire superior officers also get another 3.5 percent increase retroactive to this past July 1, a 4 percent wage hike next July 1, and a final 3.5 percent one on July 1, 2005, Daly said.

  New Jersey Enacts "Smart Gun" Law

TRENTON, N.J. (Dec. 23) - New Jersey on Monday became the first state to enact ''smart gun'' legislation that would eventually require new handguns to contain a mechanism that allows only their owners to fire them.

Gov. James E. McGreevey signed the bill into law requiring the ''smart guns,'' but the rule will not go into effect immediately because the technology is still under development. It could be years before it becomes a reality.

''This is common-sense legislation. There are safety regulations on cars, on toys. It's clearly time we have safety regulations on handguns,'' McGreevey said at Monday's signing ceremony.

Under the New Jersey law, smart-gun technology will be required in all new handguns sold three years after the state attorney general determines a smart gun prototype is safe and commercially available.

The New Jersey Institute of Technology is developing a smart gun prototype that would use sensors on the pistol grip to identify a user.

The owner would have his or her grip programmed at a gun shop or police range by practice-firing the weapon. A microchip in the weapon would remember the grip and determine in an instant whether the authorized user was holding the weapon. If not, the gun would not fire.

Supporters say the law will help prevent accidental gun deaths and suicides.

But opponents argued that it makes little sense to legislate about a technology that does not yet exist and have raised questions about its reliability.

''No technology is foolproof,'' said Nancy Ross, spokeswoman for the Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs. ''Anyone who has a computer knows how many times it crashes.''

 

Open Public Records Act (OPRA)

OPRA is a new state law that was enacted to give the public greater access to government records maintained by public agencies in New Jersey. The public has the right under OPRA to examine or obtain copies of those public records that are not subject to exceptions from disclosure. Under OPRA, all levels of New Jersey government are required to produce records, when properly requested. Certain records are considered exceptions. OPRA expands the intent of the Right to Know law by re-defining what records are available to the public, by setting standards for accessing those records, and penalties for failing to disclose them. Requests for information relating to the Division of Motor Vehicles:

Driver & Vehicle Records*
These documents must be requested using the forms listed below:

• Request for Title Search – Fee $10.50 - Form #ISM/DO-22A

• Request for Lien Search – Fee $5.00 – Form ISM/DO-22

• Driver History Abstract Request & Related Documents (See form for details and other fees) Fee Uncertified $8- Fee Certified $10 – Form ISM-21

• Vehicle Registration Application Request- Fee Uncertified $8 – Fee Certified $10 – Form ISM/DO-11A

• Driver License Application Request – Fee Uncertified $8 – Fee Certified $10 – Form ISM/DO-11

• Notarized Authority to Release Personal Motor Vehicle Information for second party requests – Form ISM/DO-21A

• Click on Records Request Form MS Word (Microsoft) or Adobe Acrobat PDF to get all MV forms.

All of the information above must be mailed in accordance with instructions on the form.

Forms can be obtained by calling:
1-888-486-3339 (In State) or 1-609-292-6500 (From Out of State).

* Access to and use controlled by the Driver Privacy Protection Act, N.J.S.A. 39:2-3.3 et seq., and N.J.A.C. 13:18-11.3. Fees set by N.J.A.C. 13:18-11.4. Records Request Form(MS Word)     Procedures for Requests
(Adobe Acrobat PDF)

Digital Driver's Licenses Coming to New Jersey

Officials in New Jersey say they're speeding up plans to issue digitally produced driver's licenses. The new licenses may be ready by July 2003. The Division of Motor Vehicles says the digital licenses are the first step toward revamping the troubled system and reducing document fraud.

Bill would give rape victims say in pleas

TRENTON - Rape victims would be able to consult with the prosecutor before plea negotiations are completed under legislation passed by the state Senate on Thursday.

State Sen. Diane Allen, R-Burlington, a co-sponsor of the bill, said the proposal grew out of her observations regarding rape cases.

"Too often, I have heard from victims advocacy groups that the courageous women who come forward to report this heinous crime have been mistakenly left out of the loop in plea negotiations," Allen said.

Although some women might want to avoid the public exposure and pain of a trial, "there are others who very much want their day in court," Allen said. "They deserve to have their views and concerns considered before a plea bargain is offered."

State Sen. Barbara Buono, D-Middlesex, another co-sponsor, said the bill is intended to ensure that the prosecutor knows the full impact of what that victim has gone through rather than going with cold, hard facts.

"Though good prosecutors do speak with the victims first before starting the case," said Buono, a former practicing criminal lawyer.

The bill does not alter or limit the authority or discretion of the prosecutor to enter into any plea agreement.

The bill now heads to the Assembly for further consideration.

          

New Statute - Special Attention to Narcotic Strike Force Officers

Great new statute especially for officers who do a lot of narcotics work and search warrant executions!  Take a good look:

 4:19-38 Debarking silencing of dog, certain circumstances; third degree crime.

1. A person who surgically debarks or silences a dog, or causes the surgical debarking or silencing of a dog, for reasons other than to protect the life or health of the dog as deemed necessary by a duly licensed veterinarian shall be guilty of a crime of the third degree.

4:19-39.  Duly licensed veterinarian permitted to debark, silence dog; penalty

2. No person other than a duly licensed veterinarian may surgically debark or silence a dog.  A person who violates this section shall be guilty of a crime of the third degree.

4:19-40.  Seizure, forfeiture of dog at time of arrest of violator

3.  a.  A dog that has been surgically debarked or silenced may be seized at the time of arrest of a person charged with violating section 1 or 2 of P.L.2002, c.102 (C.4:19-38 or C.4:19-39), or at any time thereafter, and, upon seizure and pending final determination of the charges, shall be kept and cared for in a humane manner by an appropriate and qualified individual or entity as directed by the court.

b. If a person is found guilty of violating section 1 or 2 of P.L.2002, c.102 (C.4:19-38 or C.4:19-39), the court may order forfeiture of a dog seized pursuant to subsection a. of this section for such disposition as the court deems appropriate.

c. The costs of sheltering, feeding, caring for, and treating a dog seized pursuant to subsection a. or forfeited pursuant to subsection b. of this section, including any veterinary expenses incurred for the provision of any of those services and any other reasonably related expenses incurred, shall be borne by the person found guilty of violating section 1 or 2 of P.L.2002, c.102 (C.4:19-38 or C.4:19-39).

 As you see, the statute is under Title 4 of the New Jersey Code.  There are other provisions added as well.  Click here to view the code.    

When making a night-time motor vehicle stop, you should always ask the driver to put on the vehicle dome light.  Besides illuminating the interior of the vehicle, it will also reduce the driver's night vision and make it more difficult for him or her to see anything outside of the vehicle as the light will reflect against the vehicle's windows. Our legislature actually created a statute for those who don't see fit to comply with such a request.  Take a look at this:

39:4-57.1. Activation of interior light in vehicle upon request of police officer; 1.The driver of a motor vehicle equipped with an interior light, when stopped by a law enforcement officer during the period when lighted lamps are required, shall, upon request of the officer, activate an interior light of the vehicle in order to illuminate the driver's compartment of the vehicle. A fine of $50 shall be imposed upon any person who purposely refuses to comply with this section.  L.1997,c.374.   

LOD Statistics

On average, a law enforcement officer is killed in the line of duty every 57 hours in America.

Between 1976 and 1998, of the over 1,800 officers killed--

• 16% were on disturbance calls

• 14% were in robbery arrest situations

• 14% were investigating suspicious persons/circumstances

• 13% were making traffic pursuits/stops

• 13% were attempting arrests for offenses other than robbery or burglary

• 10% were in ambush situations

• 7% were in an arrest situation involving drug-related matters

• 5% were in a burglary arrest situation arrests

• 6% were in other situations

Of the 901 assailants identified in the killing of law enforcement officers from 1989-98 --

• almost half had a prior conviction

• almost one-fifth were on probation or parole at the time

• Visit the Memorial Wall E.O. Officers Killed in The Line Of Duty

• What do you think is the average age of officers who die in the line of duty?  
  
  Many would guess it to be in the early or late twenties since officers are generally at the most proactive point of their careers at those ages.  The answer will probably surprise you.  Year to date, the average age for officers who die in the line of duty is thirty-eight.  This is not just some statistical aberration either.  The average age in 2001 was also thirty-eight.  Before that it was 39 in 2000; 38 in 1999; 39 in 1998; 39 in 1997; 37 in 199; and 39 in 1995.  While there has been no study or research as to the reason for this, officers generally become more complacent as they get further into their career which could be a factor.  

Most law enforcement officers are killed with firearms, particularly handguns.

SOURCE:  U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics

In 1999, U.S. residents age 12 or older experienced approximately 28.8 million crimes, according to 1999 findings from the National Crime Victimization Survey.	Almost two-thirds of defendants charged with a felony in the 75 most populated counties in May 1996 were released from jail pending disposition of their case
Most victims and perpetrators in homicides are male.	Women were 5% of the State prison inmates in 1991, up from 4% in 1986.
Most law enforcement officers are killed with firearms, particularly handguns	More than 7 of every 10 jail inmates had prior sentences to probation or incarceration.
1996 was the first year State and Federal courts convicted a combined total of over 1 million adults of felonies.	If recent incarceration rates remain unchanged, an estimated 1 of every 20 persons (5.1%) will serve time in a prison during their lifetime.
From 1988 to 1996 the number of felony convictions increased faster than the number of arrests.	In general, the higher the annual household income, the less likely one was to experience a violent crime.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics

New Procedure for Search Warrants

 The New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice has just modified the process for obtaining search warrants.  Effective September 2, 2002 there is a form that must be completed by the affiant prior to submission for prosecutorial review.  It is called the Search Warrant Approval Form.  It will be presented to the reviewing prosecutor along with the affidavit and search warrant application. Click here to see the directive and accompanying form.  

 

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This information is being made available on the Internet to facilitate public access to information about persons who have committed a sex offense, to enable you to take appropriate precautions to protect yourself and those in your care from possible harm. Public access to registry information is intended solely for the protection of the public, and should never be used to threaten, intimidate or harass another.

Click here for the NJ Sex Offender Registry
 

WARNING!

Any person who uses the information contained herein to threaten, intimidate or harass another, or who otherwise misuses that information may be subject to criminal prosecution or civil liability.

  Need information on police service weapons and accessories...?

Click on the  manufacture of your choice and compare:

• Beretta

• Browning

• Glock

• Heckler & Koch

• Ruger

• Sig

• Smith & Wesson

• Taurus

 

Books and Study Material

• Keytesting.com

• Caliber Press

• Looseleaf Publications

• Gould Publications

• Edcon Press

 

While none of these cars may make your heart race, they do a better job of protecting you in an accident, and they aren't likely to get stolen from the parking lot. In fact, they have the lowest reported claims rates of injury, theft, and collision among 2003 cars on the market, according to the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI).

 

 

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New  Jersey Attorney General Guidelines

DWI ENFORCEMENT

AG Directive No. 2001-5--"John's Law"--Potential Liability Warning and Mandatory 12-Hour Impoundment of Motor Vehicles
Effective August 1, 2001

AG Directive 2001-5

Appendix A--Potential Liability Warning Form and Guidelines --(Official Spanish translation of this document included as PAGE 8 of this document)

Appendix B--Guidelines for Mandatory 12-Hour Impoundment of Motor Vehicles

Overview of Guidelines for AG Directive No. 2001-5

 

Domestic Violence

Guidelines

for the Enforcement of Out-of-State Restraining Orders or Orders of Protection in Domestic Violence Cases --PDF File
(Updated SEPTEMBER 2000)

Guidelines on Police Response Procedures in Domestic Violence Cases (Updated November 1994)

AG Directives 2000-3 and 2000-4--Directive Implementing Procedures for the Seizure of Weapons from Municipal and County Law Enforcement Officers Involved in Domestic Violence Incidents AND Directive Implementing Procedures for the Seizure of Weapons from All State Law Enforcement Officers Involved in Domestic Violence Incidents (Updated SEPTEMBER 2000)-PDF File

 

 Quick Links...

Drug Testing	Law Enforcement Drug Testing Policy (PDF file 93K)  ***(Revised JUNE 2001)
Internal Affairs	Internal Affairs Policy and Procedures (PDF File 497K) ***(Updated November 2000)

Law Enforcement Computers

LAW ENFORCEMENT COMPUTERS-- Shared Municipal and Police Computer Systems (ADDED SEPTEMBER 2000)--PDF file

Photo ID & Live LineUps

Photo ID and Lineup--AG Guidelines for Preparing and Conducting Photo and Live Lineup Identification Procedures--**added April 2001**--PDF File 66K

Shoplifting

Attorney General Guidelines -- Prosecution of Shoplifting Offenses--(ADDED JANUARY 2001

Use of Force

Use of Force Policy (PDF File 37K) *** ***(Revised JUNE 2000-- *** New Model Report included as of July 2001)

Vehicular Pursuit

New Jersey Police Vehicular Pursuit Policy(Updated Sept 1999)

Strip Search	Attorney General's Strip Search and Body Cavity Search Requirements and Procedures for Police Officers (Updated June 1995)
Firearms	Semi-Annual Firearms Qualification and Requalification Standards for New Jersey Law Enforcement (Revised May 2001)
Bias Incidents	Bias Incident Investigation Standards (Updated JANUARY 2000)--PDF
Records of Police Departments	Executive Order No. 11 (Updated November 1974) Executive Order No. 69 (Updated March 1998)