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Community Policing

Police & Fire
Summer Shootings In Paterson Plummet Amid NJ Police Takeover Summer Shootings In Paterson Plummet Amid NJ Police Takeover
Summer Shootings In Paterson Plummet Amid NJ Police Takeover Facts don't lie. Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin promised a reduction in crime in Paterson following the second-ever state takeover of a local police department in New Jersey's history. So far, he's delivering. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day -- a time when America's cities ordinarily suffer the most violence -- shootings in the Silk City plummeted by 41.2% compared with the same period last year, state officials reported. In that time, Paterson has also had the fewest summer shooting victims in five years, they said. Reported robberies decreased by nearly 38%. Aggravated assault…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Fund Launched For Children Of Retired Bergen-Area Detective Who Died At 44 Fund Launched For Children Of Retired Bergen-Area Detective Who Died At 44
Fund Launched For Children Of Retired Bergen-Area Detective Who Died At 44 As the time for final goodbyes nears, many of those who knew and loved retired Washington Township Police Officer and U.S. Marine Corps veteran Heather Castronova are trying to do what they can for her two children. Toward that end, Laura Padilla has launched a GoFundMe campaign. Castronova, 44, died unexpectedly at her home in Allendale on Feb. 8, apparently as the result of a medical condition, those who knew her said. The Hackensack-born-and-bred Heather Cumming served in the Marines in Okinawa, Japan, as well as at Twenty Nine Palms, CA and Quantico, VA. She began a public service car…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Obituaries
Shock, Sadness Spread Following Death Of Retired Bergen Detective Heather Castronova Shock, Sadness Spread Following Death Of Retired Bergen Detective Heather Castronova
Shock, Sadness Spread Following Death Of Retired Bergen Detective Heather Castronova UPDATE: Arrangements Finalized For Heather Castronova The Washington Township (Bergen County) police department is mourning the loss of retired detective and former US Marine Heather Castronova. A mom of two, Castronova died sometime overnight due to unknown medical circumstances, the department said on Wednesday, Feb. 8. Castronova was hired as a dispatcher for the Bergen County Police Department before becoming an officer in Washington Township. While serving in the patrol and detective bureaus, Castronova was passionate about community policing, specifically working with children.…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Women Looking For Any Excuse To Be Pulled Over By Bergen County Officer Going Viral Women Looking For Any Excuse To Be Pulled Over By Bergen County Officer Going Viral
Women Looking For Any Excuse To Be Pulled Over By Bergen County Officer Going Viral Women across North Jersey are apparently willing to get themselves into trouble if it means scoring a date with one of River Edge's newest officers. A photo of Domenic Pizzanelli holding a lost dog on the River Edge PBA Local 201's Facebook page has caught the attention of thousands of women, many threatening to run red lights and rob banks just to chat with the officer. The good news? The dog, MoMo, was returned home within hours. The bad news, at least for Bergen County hopefuls, Pizzanelli is off the market. In fact, Pizzanelli's girlfriend of two years, Riana McShea, has been nothing …

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Passaic Teen’s Accused Murderer ID’d Passaic Teen’s Accused Murderer ID’d
Passaic Teen’s Accused Murderer ID’d UPDATE: Civilians helped Passaic police capture a 21-year-old city man accused of gunning down a local teen beneath a Route 21 overpass, authorities said. The city Police Intelligence Unit and Detective Bureau, in tandem with the Patrol Division and Special Investigations Division united, "fielded leads directly from the community" that led directly to Philip Sparrow, Passaic Mayor Hector Carlos Lora said. City police arrested Sparrow – and recovered the suspected murder weapon – during an 8 p.m. traffic stop Tuesday on Paulison Avenue, authorities said. They stopped the vehicle on Pauliso…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Name Of Man Who Died In 9/11 Attacks Lives On Through New Secaucus Police K9 Name Of Man Who Died In 9/11 Attacks Lives On Through New Secaucus Police K9
Name Of Man Who Died In 9/11 Attacks Lives On Through New Secaucus Police K9 The name of a Secaucus resident who died in the 9/11 attacks will lives on through a newly-acquired Secaucus Police K-9 officer. The ten-month old German Shepherd, “Strobe," is named after Steven Strobert, a 33-year-old Cantor Fitzgerald broker who died in September 11, 2001 attack on the Twin Towers. Strobe was purchased from Connecticut Canine Services. He and his handler, Secaucus Officer Vince DeFazio, have undergone 29 weeks of rigorous training at the Bergen County Sheriff’s Canine Academy, which culminated on May 10. “I truly hope Strobe may bring the Strobert family some …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
WATCH: Hero Paramus Officer Breaks Doll Stroller Rescuing Girl -- Then Buys Her Brand New One WATCH: Hero Paramus Officer Breaks Doll Stroller Rescuing Girl -- Then Buys Her Brand New One
Watch: Hero Paramus Officer Breaks Doll Stroller Rescuing Girl -- Then Buys Her Brand New One All that a pair of Paramus police officers had to do on one particular call Tuesday afternoon was free a toddler who had somehow gotten her doll's stroller stuck around her waist. But that wasn't enough for one of the officers, who not only talked 4-year-old Yasmeen "Nina" Saleh through the whole rescue, but returned less than an hour later with a brand new stroller since he broke the other one during the rescue. "I felt like it was the right thing to do," Officer Robert Sobocinski said "This is a human job. When you're dealing with people, everything is different." "Our emergency service…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
13 Local Law Enforcement Agencies In NJ Get $15.8M In COPS Grants To Hire More Officers 13 Local Law Enforcement Agencies In NJ Get $15.8M In COPS Grants To Hire More Officers
13 Local Law Enforcement Agencies In NJ Get $15.8M In Cops Grants To Hire More Officers A total of 13 police departments and other local law enforcement agencies in New Jersey will get $15.8 million in federal funding to hire 114 additional officers, U.S. Attorney General William Barr announced Tuesday. The Federal Community Oriented Policing (COPS) grants had been suspended since 2018 because of a nationwide injunction that was lifted earlier this year. On Tuesday, Barr announced that the Justice Department was awarding nearly $400 million to 596 law enforcement agencies nationwide to hire 2,732 additional full-time law enforcement professionals. They were chosen from nearly…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
'Right Thing': Grewal Launches Police Crisis Intervention Training In Paterson, Trenton, AC 'Right Thing': Grewal Launches Police Crisis Intervention Training In Paterson, Trenton, AC
'Right Thing': Grewal Launches Police Crisis Intervention Training In Paterson, Trenton, AC New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said Tuesday that he’s committed to establishing statewide crisis intervention training for law enforcement officers at all levels, among several enhancements aimed at “strengthening trust between police officers and the communities they serve.” “Experts agree that one of the most effective ways to reduce police use-of-force and death-in-custody incidents is by expanding the use of Crisis Intervention Teams (CITs), which help officers respond to situations involving individuals with mental health issues,” Grewal said. However, CIT training “is e…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
LAWSUIT: Morris County Parks Detective Sues Department Over Age Discrimination LAWSUIT: Morris County Parks Detective Sues Department Over Age Discrimination
Lawsuit: Morris County Parks Detective Sues Department Over Age Discrimination A 35-year-old Morris County Park Police detective has filed a lawsuit accusing the department's chief of age discrimination, reports say. John Eckert, a 12-year veteran of the force, is accusing Chief Gabriele DiPietro of assigning duties based on age and family status and withholding proper consideration for promotions, Daily Record reports. The department that's part of the part of the Morris County Park Commission reportedly declined comment on the suit to the Daily Record. The complaint, filed in Morris County Superior Court on Tuesday, describes a dual-leveled structure in the departm…

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
VIDEO: Retired Police Chief Proud That Force Has Made New Milford One Of NJ's Safest Towns VIDEO: Retired Police Chief Proud That Force Has Made New Milford One Of NJ's Safest Towns
Video: Retired Police Chief Proud That Force Has Made New Milford One Of NJ's Safest Towns FINAL WALKOUT: It's not easy to produce one of the safest municipalities in all of New Jersey -- especially when you're on the outskirts of cities with high crime rates -- which helps account for the pride that retired New Milford Police Chief Frank Ramaci had during his final walkout on Tuesday. "I'm proudest of the officers who've worked tirelessly during my tenure to protect the residents and business owners of New Milford," said Ramaci, a 25-year department veteran who became chief in early 2015. Last year, an alarm company rated New Milford the second-safest municipality in New Jersey …

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by Jerry DeMarco