Police and Law Enforcement News

 HOT OFF THE PRESS

DOO WOPS
FOR COPS

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY GARDEN STATE LEO ASSOCIATION

MORRIS COUNTY CORRECTIONS
OFFICERS FILE AGAINST UNFAIR
LABOR PRACTICES
 

FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE:

November 3, 2004 973-219-3604
PBA Local No. 298
PO Box 510
Morristown, New Jersey 07960

On behalf of the Morris County Corrections Officers Union PBA Local #298, representing over one hundred and thirty correction officers, on November 3, 2004 the PBA filed two unfair labor practices against the management of the Morris County Correctional facility.

President Ronald Flammer
President PBA 298, Correction Officers Union

President James K. O’Brien
PBA 298, Superior Officers Association

Robert Freid
Executive Vice-President

Donald Norman
1st Vice-President

Donald Delvecchio
Treasurer

William Schwarick
Recording Secretary

Henry J. Ruiz
State Delegate





 

Plainfield PBA rallies to fight destruction
of police force under Mayor

Friday, October 29, 2004  9:36 a.m.

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY PLAINFIELD PBA

The Plainfield PBA Local 19 today held a community rally to highlight the deterioration of the

 Plainfield Police Department under Mayor Albert McWilliams and to express concern that while crime is on the rise municipal non police spending continues to rise.

Under Mayor Albert McWilliams, Plainfield’s police force has been reduced in size by 21 officers (16 layoffs/5 unfilled vacancies). The Plainfield PBA believes that cuts in the police force have resulted in the rise of violent crime, such as murder and gang activity, in the community. In addition, the Mayor has taken over the releasing of crime information from the police division thereby ensuring that negative crime statistics are not released to the public.

“Mayor McWilliams has engaged in an all out war on the police in this community but the entire community has suffered because of it,” Plainfield PBA 19 President Andre Crawford said. “The Mayor refuses to see the danger in which he has placed this community.”

The Plainfield PBA has also criticized the Mayor for increasing spending in other departments of City government while seeking to cut resources from the police force. City administrators have received raises recently and the Mayor has budgeted for the hiring of 7 new code enforcement officers and a grant writer while laying off a large number of police officers.

“There is no shared burden in the Mayor’s plan for Plainfield and he is simply trying to balance the budget on the backs of our police,” Crawford continued. “The Mayor’s top level employees have received raises but Plainfield’s police are nearly the lowest paid officers in all of Union County even though we have the highest crime rate in the County.”

Joining the Plainfield PBA at the rally were community and business leaders including Pastor Trevor Woolridge of the Mount Zion AME Church, former Mayors Harold Mitchell and Rick Taylor, community activists and the mothers of victims of violent crimes

Stephanie Alexander and Viola Bailey and leaders in the State and local law enforcement community including State PBA President Michael J. Madonna, Plainfield Area Latino Officers Association President Carlos Gonzalez and Plainfield Area Ebony Officers Association President Kenneth Reid.

“The Mayor should be fighting for these officers and not against them,” State PBA President Michael J. Madonna stated. “The political considerations of the budget process should not ever be used as an excuse to slash public safety and the Mayor is inviting violent crime and the destruction of the morale of the police department if he continues on this dangerous path.”

Friday, October 29, 2004  9:36 a.m.

FOR TOMORROW'S RALLY

At 4:30 PM, the "Freeholders Public Safety / Penal Committee" will be convening in Room 506.

This particular meeting will be entirely dedicated to our staffing/security concerns as well as the concept of "Direct Supervision" as it relates to our new jail.

The designers of the jail, "Carter Goble Associates" as well as the staffing consultants, "Paige Plus, LLC" were invited to attend.

This is our opportunity to voice our concerns as well as hopefully hear some real answers as to why the jail transition failed and what's going to be done to rectify our issues.

I strongly encourage all officers to attend this meeting to show support for the efforts of the PBA in calling attention to the many safety and security issues that we face everyday.

On this same night at 6:15 PM, PBA Local 183 of the Sheriffs Office will be holding a rally/demonstration on the front steps of the Hall of Records.

It is imperative that all county & state law enforcement unions come out to support Local 183 in their ongoing battle with the administration over the settlement of a contract.

After the demonstration, the unions will attend the regular Freeholder Meeting in room 506 at 7:00 PM

Once again I ask that all available officers of the Essex County Jail please attend these two functions to show support for the efforts of the PBA to fight for the rights of all county law enforcement personnel.

Thank you for your time and support,

Joe Amato

President, PBA Local 382
ESSEX COUNTY PBA LOCAL 382
Essex County Department of Corrections,
354 Doremus Avenue, Newark, NJ, 07105
(973) 274-7620

FORT MONMOUTH PD

HOSTING A LAW ENFORCEMENT

 AWARENESS DAY AND CAREER FAIR

KICKING OFF CRIME PREVENTION MONTH

Friday, September 10, 2004

Issued by the Fort Monmouth Police Department

FORT MONMOUTH POLICE DEPARTMENT
COMMUNITY POLICING UNIT
POC: OFFICER ANDREW POULOS
(732) 532-1112, (732) 684-8389

FORT MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY- To kick off the start to Crime Prevention Month, the Fort Monmouth Police Department is hosting a Law Enforcement Awareness Day and Career Fair on Tuesday, October 5, 2004 at the Gibbs Hall Officer's Club located at 2000 Megill Drive, Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. 

The hours of operation will be from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. From 9:00 am to 11:00 am it will only be open to Military and Department of Defense Employees.  It will then be opened to the general public from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm for a charge of $5.00 to be paid at the door.  There is no charge for Military and Department of Defense Civilian Employees with proper identification.

The day will showcase numerous federal, state and local law enforcement agencies throughout the country.  Some of the agencies participating will be the US Park Police, FBI, DEA, Secret Service (Investigations and Uniformed Division), ATF, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, US Marshal's Service, Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), US Border Patrol, US Customs and Border Protection, US Postal Inspection Service, Federal Bureau of Prisons, New Jersey State Police, Delaware State Police, NYPD, LAPD, Prince George County Police (MD), Prince George County Corrections (MD), Arlington County Police Department (VA), Alexandria City Police (VA), Metro-Washington Airport Police, and more.  Several agencies will be conducting on-site testing.  Bring plenty of resumes.

For further information or if you require directions please email careerfair@fmpd.org.

 FOURTH SUSPECT IN POLICE

 OFFICERS' SHOOTING HELD IN

 NORTH CAROLINA

Thursday, September 2, 2004

Issued by the Newark Police Department

NEWARK - The final suspect sought for the attempted murder of two Newark Police Officers Patrick Cantalupo and Juan Barreto in July was arrested last night, Police Director Anthony F. Ambrose III announced today.

Michael Turner was arrested at approximately 9:00 p.m. last night by members of the United States Marshal's Fugitive Task Force as he and his girlfriend, Idesha Murphy, 19, of Irvington, stayed in a Holiday Inn located in Greenville, North Carolina.

Turner was one of three men wanted in connection with the shooting of Cantalupo on July 25^th as he and his partner, Barreto, were arresting a Attiyah Jones, 23 of Newark, at the Felix Fuld Public Housing Complex.

 As Cantalupo and Barreto were arresting Jones, a car occupied by a 17-yearold juvenile, Shariff Gillard, 23, and Turner fired at Jones and the two officers striking Cantalupo in the back, Ambrose said. Cantalupo was taken to University Hospital where he was released after being treated for a gunshot wound to his torso. 

Within four days, Gillard and the juvenile had been arrested and charged with Attempted Murder, Aggravated Assault on a police Officer, Aggravated Assault on Jones and weapons possession charges. Turner, however, evaded arrest.

During last week's COMSTAT meeting, Director Ambrose directed South District commander Capt. John Scott-Bey to assemble a taskforce with the specific task of catching Turner. He was known to still be in the area and had also been identified as the suspect wanted for the later attempted murder of Erin Jones on July 3.

With the assistance of the U.S. Marshal's Fugitive Task Force and their intensified search efforts on their heels, Ambrose said, Turner and his girlfriend apparently felt that their arrest was imminent, and fled to North Carolina.  Continuing their search, investigators were able to track Turner to the Greenville hotel were he was arrested three days after fleeing New Jersey.

Ambrose commended the efforts of Bey, the members of the Newark Police Department's Task Force, and the U.S. Marshal's Fugitive Task force for their diligent pursuit of Turner. Ambrose said he was effective at eluding law enforcement's efforts by playing a game of hide-and-seek with authorities by hiding with friends and relative.

Ambrose said, "Through the dedicated and tireless efforts of the Department's Task Force and the U.S. Marshal's Task Force, Michael Turner, a suspect who was wanted for shooting Police Officer Patrick Cantalupo and a member of the community, Erin Jones, has finally been brought to justice. Chief Irving Bradley and I are committed and using all of our available resources to target and rid the City of any individual who refuses to obey the law and threatens the lives of our residents."

The New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Force (NY/NJ RFTF) is comprised of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and has personnel from the Newark Police Department assigned to the Task Force.

Saturday, July 17, 2004

Issued by Probation Association of New Jersey

NEW JERSEY CELEBRATES 

NATIONAL PROBATION, 

PAROLE AND COMMUNITY

 SUPERVISION WEEK

(Trenton, NJ)- July 18^th through the 24^th, 2004 probation officers and members of PANJ (Probation Association of New Jersey) will be commemorating the tireless efforts of probation officers and other supervision officers that serve the New Jersey community.  Since 1841 probation and parole have played a critical role in the law enforcement system.  Officers are out in the streets protecting the rights of law abiding citizens by making sure that convicted criminals are adhering to the terms of their probation set forth by the court.  Probation officers are working tirelessly to lower recidivism rates in NJ so upstanding citizens may benefit from safe neighborhoods and schools; however, we can’t do it alone.

The members of PANJ support National Probation, Parole and Community Supervision Week by combating drugs, gangs, domestic violence and other violent crime.  Probation officers conduct pre-sentence investigations on convicted criminals as well as custody and parenting time investigations that protect the welfare of children.  Probation also effects positive change for the youth of NJ by enforcing child support orders.  Children depend on those payments to live, and probation makes the commitment to collect them; however, we can’t do it alone. 

Probation officers and their supervisors are asking the public to celebrate National Probation, Parole and Community Supervision Week by writing to your state legislator.  Probation needs the tools to do the job even better.  Probation officers’ work, and the environment in which they work, are dangerous.  Support Probation in its quest for training and equipment.  The members of PANJ are serving the communities they live in and the safety and security of the community is our only priority.

Please visit our website: (www.panj.org)

For the address or email address of your state legislator please visit the following website:  (www.njleg.state.nj.us) Thank you for your support.

Wednesday, June 30, 2004

Issued by Plainfield Police Division PBA

PLAINFIELD PBA RESPONDS TO

 ARRIVAL OF GUARDIAN ANGELS

 AND STATUS OF CITY

Press Release

June 30, 2004

On Friday, June 25, 2004, Plainfield PBA Local 19 learned that the Guardian Angels had arrived, in the City of Plainfield, and had begun to set up patrols of our streets. We were not notified of their plans, and do not sanction any actions that they may take. Although we understand their intentions, we strongly caution the Guardian Angels against taking any action outside those afforded by the laws of this state. We have further learned that the Guardian Angels are armed with pepper spray, handcuffs and flashlights. They will be held accountable for any unlawful actions or improper use of any such items, just as any other person would be.

The recent detectable upward trend of violent crime, we believe, is a direct result of the cuts in manpower, of both sworn officers and civilian support staff, along with the severe budget restraints placed on the Plainfield Police Division. This same increase in crime was determined, by Mayor McWilliams and the Plainfield City Council, to be negligible and would not occur at all. We challenge the “leaders” of this city to ask the numerous victims if the decisions they have made were prudent.

There are several other factors contributing to the decline of public safety within the city. Namely, is its elected leader’s failure to recognize the true problems in Plainfield. Particularly, the police administrations inability to combat growing crime trends. Furthermore, the members of this union are overworked, under equipped, understaffed and underpaid. Also, the ongoing, and sometimes publicly noted, lack of communication between the police chief and the city administration just fosters violent crime and hampers the Police Division’s effectiveness to combat an ever increasing crime rate.

The arrival of the Guardian Angels is just another example of the disastrous decisions made by the city’s elected officials. The city, along with the police chief, has tried to cover up these errors in judgment by supplementing manpower with Union County Task Force officers, and making up for the shortages with the improper use of minimally trained auxiliary police officers.

In closing we would like to reassure the citizens of Plainfield that the members of this union are committed to their safety and quality of life. However, it is important to note that we can only do as much as our leaders empower us to do. As soon as they take your safety as serious as we do, things will improve. Until then we will continue to do our best in providing you with the best possible service.

William Tyler, Vice President Cell

Friday, May 14, 2004

Issued by NJ Transit Police Department

NJTPD’S FINEST 

NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT

Transit Officer Stricken with Lymphoma

• To Leave on Online Message for Officer Nelson Faustino, Click Here

The PBA has asked me to help them with a benefit they are holding for one of our police officers. We recently learned that one of NJ TRANSIT’s “Finest” has been diagnosed with Adult non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. Officer Nelson Faustino is a two-year veteran of the NJ TRANSIT Police Department and up until being hospitalized, he was assigned to North Region I, Newark Penn Station Command. Officer Faustino and his wife, Carla, reside in Clark, New Jersey with their two children, Julian (Age 5) and Miah (age 10 months).

NJ TRANSIT PBA Local 304 will be sponsoring an “All You Can Eat” Beefsteak Dinner. All proceeds will be used to help Officer Faustino and his family during his fight against this deadly disease. The benefit will be held on Saturday, May 22, 2004 at the Knights of Columbus located at 109 Morrisey Avenue, Avenel, NJ between 7:00 P.M. and 11:00 P.m.

Donation will be $40.00 per person.

As Chief of the NJ TRANSIT Police Department, I am hopeful that all areas of NJ TRANSIT will show their support by coming to the benefit and confirming to Officer Faustino and his family that he isn’t in the fight alone.

For tickets to the benefit or information about other ways that you can help Officer Faustino or his family go to this web page, http://Officerinneed.home.comcast.net  or call 973-495-4066.

I look forward to seeing you all!!

Sincerely,

Chief Joseph C. Bober