SAVE THE DATE!

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AGAINST CRIME

Tuesday August 5th

DeHart Park

Join MPD for National Night Out 2008!

The Maplewood Police Department will be once again be hosting the National Night Out Against Crime event on Tuesday, August 5^th. This year’s celebration will be held in DeHart Park from the hours of 6-9pm.

The annual National Night Out event is designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, encourage participation in local anti-crime programs, strengthen police-community partnerships and, send a strong message to criminals that crime will not be tolerated in the community.

This year’s event will again feature the rock band Starfish, a Maplewood based group that drew fantastic reviews from kids and adults alike, and really rocked the park at last year’s celebration.

In addition, Maplewood’s own Essex County Trikes will be unveiling a custom Police Trike that resident John Lutz and company have designed and built for the police department.

Hot Dogs, refreshments and ice pops will also be available.

For more information, please contact Sgt. Dean L. Naddeo at 973-762-3400 Ext. 7916 or check out our website at www.maplewoodpd.org.

ARCHIVED NEWS

Safety Belt Enforcement and Education Campaign to be Conducted Locally as Part of Nationwide Click It or Ticket Mobilization May 21 – June 3, 2007

From May 21 – June 3, 2007, law enforcement officers throughout New Jersey will be stepping up enforcement and education of the state’s Primary Seat Belt Law. The enforcement and education campaign comes as part of the nationwide Click It or Ticket mobilization.

The goal of the program is to increase the statewide safety belt usage rate to 92%. The current safety belt usage rate in New Jersey is 90%, and the rate has steadily risen during the last ten years.

In 2006, there were 773 motor vehicle fatalities in New Jersey, a large percentage of which were not wearing a safety belt. Safety belt use saves lives and prevents injuries. Between 1975 and 2000, safety belts prevented 135,000 fatalities and 3.8 million injuries nationwide, saving $585 billion in medical and other costs.

Safety belt use is especially important for teens and young adults. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people age 15 to 34 in the United States.

During the mobilization period from May 21 – June 3, local police agencies will conduct a zero tolerance safety belt enforcement campaign. Motorists who are not buckled up will be issued a ticket. In addition, concerted efforts are going on locally and statewide to raise awareness about the importance and life-saving benefits of safety belts.

“High visibility enforcement saves lives,” said Pamela Fischer, Director of the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety. “Our goal is to make sure that all motor vehicle occupants are properly restrained, on every trip.”

“We are committed to the Click It or Ticket strategy, “added Tom Louizou, Regional Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “Tickets are a strong deterrent and the results are meaningful: Fewer deaths on our roads.”

For more information, contact Lt. Michael Mault at 973-762-3400 Ext. 327.

ANNUAL POLICE EXPO AT LIVINGSTON MALL

Local residents can get up-close and personal with local enforcement officials when the Livingston Mall hosts the annual Essex County Police Expo on Saturday, May 12th. Participants can view displays and demonstrations from federal, state, county and local agencies. Parents will have the opportunity to get their youngsters fingerprinted and photographed as part of the Kid Care Child ID Program, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Livingston. Throughout the day, children can join in fun activities and entertainment that will include face painting, balloons and special costumed character appearances. For more information, call Sgt. Dean L. Naddeo at 973-762-3400 Ext. 443.

Officers Seek Donations for 2007 Police Unity Tour

Once again Maplewood police officers will be participating in the Police Unity Tour. The Police Unity Tour is a bicycle ride from New Jersey to the Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington D.C. This is done in May during Police Week inn memory of police officers who died in the line of duty and to raise funds for the Law Enforcement Memorial.

The Police Unity Tour started in 1997 in Florham Park. That year, 18 police officers made the trip and raised $18,000. In 2006, more than 700 police officers made the trip and raised $1 million. Police from throughout the country now participate and officers from Italy, England and Israel have also participated.

Maplewood officers have been a part of the Police Unity Tour since the beginning in 1997. Maplewood Officers have been proud to be a part of the Police Unity Tour and have helped with the important roles in the tour.

This year on May 9, (four) Maplewood Police Officers will make the trip from Morris Township to Washington D.C., Sgt. Joshua Cummis, P.O. Tom Kincaid, P.O. Anthony Dellatacoma and P.O. Raymond Rosania. Each officer must raise $1,700 to participate and donations are being requested.

Anyone who would like to make a donation can send a check payable to:

The Police Unity Tour

Maplewood Police Dept.,

C/o P.O. A. Dellatacoma

125 Dunnell Road

Maplewood, NJ 07040

Thank you in advance, and for more information, log onto the Police Unity Tour website at www.policeunitytour.com.

Impaired Driving Enforcement Crackdown to be

Conducted Locally as the Year Ends

From December 4, 2006 through January 2, 2007, law enforcement officers from this agency will be stepping up impaired driving enforcement as part of the You Drink and Drive, You Lose 2006 Year End Crackdown.

The end of the year and the beginning of the new is traditionally a time for social gatherings, which often include alcoholic beverages. The goal of the program is to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving through high-visibility enforcement, and to arrest motorists who choose to drive while impaired by drugs or alcohol.

Impaired drivers kill nearly 18,000 people on our nation’s roads each year. In New Jersey for 2005, 252 of the 748 motor vehicle fatalities, or 34% were alcohol-related. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that nearly 97 percent of Americans view drinking and driving by others as a threat to their families and themselves.

Law enforcement agencies participating in the You Drink and Drive, You Lose 2006 Year End Crackdown offer the following advice:

· Be responsible and don’t risk it…you will be caught.

· If you plan to drink, choose a designated driver before going out.

· Realize before going out that every drink you have makes it more difficult to know when you’ve had too much to drive.

· Take mass transit, a taxicab, or ask a sober friend to drive you home.

· Spend the night where the activity is held.

· Report impaired drivers to law enforcement.

· Always buckle up – it’s your best defense against an impaired driver.

“The end of the year and New Year celebrations are a time for fun with friends and family, not tragedy,” said Chief Robert Cimino. “The law enforcement community and safety organizations of the state are committed to eliminating impaired driving from our roads.”

For more information, contact Traffic Unit Supervisor Lt. Michael Mault at 973-762-3400 Ext. 535.

“Calm and Clean” Enforcement Initiative 2006

During the month of November, the Maplewood Police Department will conduct the “Calm and Clean” Enforcement Initiative.

Over the past few months the Maplewood Police Department and members of the governing body have received a variety of complaints about the improper behavior of juveniles and young adults in Maplewood Village. There have been several incidents of malicious damage, loud offensive language, littering, blocking of sidewalks and other disruptive and potentially hazardous behavior. In response to these incidents the Maplewood Police Department will employ a strategy of public information, followed by periods of focused enforcement by teams of police officers in order to keep Maplewood Village “Calm and Clean”. In addition in the near future, the police department will utilize surveillance cameras to monitor the activities in the business district to aid in the identification of offenders. These steps are all done with the goal of ensuring a safe, calm, and clean business district.

Many of the same complaints occur in several other areas of the township as well and as such the initiative will be extended in certain other areas from time to time.

The initiative plan will be disseminated through the schools, Home School Associations, the official Police and Township websites and the local media to provide fair and timely warning to everyone who uses the Village. We hope to avoid any misunderstanding of the effort and goals of the initiative.

All individuals visiting the Village as well as all other areas of the township are expected to act appropriately according to the law. Behaviors that diminish a safe, calm and clean environment will have a legal consequence.

Disorderly conduct including excessive noise, offensive language, tumultuous behavior, menacing behavior, littering, congregating in groups that block sidewalks and interfere with the passage of pedestrians (or vehicles) will be enforced. Violators may be warned at first, and then formally charged with the violations of the law. Parents are responsible for the behavior of their children and are advised to give them appropriate guidance as to what is appropriate behavior. The issue was recently addressed in the township newsletter the Maplewood Leaflet – as this is an on-going concern reported to the township officials.

To be clear, there will be periodic instances of targeted formal enforcement that will result in adult and juvenile violators being charged with violations of local and or state laws.

The Maplewood Police Department’s goal is to establish a safe, calm and clean business area that can be enjoyed by individuals of all ages – not disrupted by disorderly individuals who create unsafe or offensive conditions for other citizens. Unfortunately if the public information and warnings do not have an effect, more formal enforcement will take place.

Information about the initiative or assistance with youth problems is available through the Maplewood Police Youth Aid Bureau at 973-762-3400 extension 444.