The Cranford Police Department recently concluded it’s “Positive Summonses” program.  In an effort to promote the use of helmets and encourage safe behavior, the Cranford Police Department in collaboration with Safe Kids Union County at Children's Specialized Hospital and the Brain Injury Association of New Jersey, implemented the Think Positive: A Helmet Safety Reward Program for the third year in a row.  This safety initiative uses positive reinforcement and education as a means to reinforce the importance of helmet safety and brain injury prevention.

Children under the age of 17 seen wearing a helmet, when participating in a wheeled sport activity, were given a “positive summons” by a police officer.  The summons includes a reward for the child for practicing safe responsible behavior.  The reward donated by Il Giardino Ristorante of 103 Miln Street could be redeemed for a free slice of pizza. 

The summonses also contained a raffle ticket for a $100 Downtown Cranford Gift Check.  The gift check was made possible by a donation from Cranford Policemen’s Benevolent Association Local # 52 and is good at any downtown business.  This year’s raffle winner was Dylan Costello, a kindergarten student at Bloomingdale Avenue School. 

The summons when shown to the parent provides additional information on brain injury and helmet safety.  The reward made the program appealing to the kids and encouraged them to get “caught” wearing their helmet. 

Brain injury is a leading cause of death and disability in children and young adults.  A properly worn helmet is the single most effective safety device available to reduce brain injury and death by as much as 88% (Dr. C. Everett Koop).  New Jersey’s helmet law requires that “Children under the age of 17 wear a helmet while bicycling, skateboarding, and roller-skating.”  Think Positive: A Helmet Safety Reward Program is a community program that involves not only police and local children, but also schools, businesses, community leaders, media, and most importantly parents.

For more information please contact Lieutenant Joseph P. Van Bergen at 908-272-2222.  For additional information on brain injury, visit www.bianj.org or call the Brain Injury Association of New Jersey at 1-800-669-4323.

PHOTO:  Left to right, Police Chief Eric Mason, raffle winner Dylan Costello, and Cranford PBA President Matthew Nazzaro

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DWI Holiday Crackdown

A concentrated national effort, the campaign helps to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving through high visibility enforcement and public education tools, including posters, banners, and mobile video display signs.  Launched nationally in 1999, the program works to combat drunk driving during some of the busiest travel times of the year.

“This is a critical law enforcement program that can save lives during a time of the year when impaired driving traditionally increases by nearly 10 percent,” said Pam Fischer, Director of the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety.  “This initiative brings attention to not only the serious fines and penalties drunk drivers can face, but the grave danger these motorists pose to all individuals on the road.”

Impaired drivers kill nearly 18,000 people on our nation’s roads each year.  In 2008, 152 people were killed as a result of alcohol related crashes in New Jersey.  That number represents 26 percent of the 590 traffic fatalities reported in the State. 

The Cranford Police Department will be joining other law enforcement agencies throughout the state in participating in the Over the Limit, Under Arrest 2009 Holiday Crackdown.  Cranford Police Chief Eric G. Mason offers the following advice:

*  If you plan to drink, choose a designated driver before going out.
*  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.  In New Jersey, dial #77 on your cell phone to report a drunk driver.
*  Always buckle up - it’s your best defense against an impaired driver.

Operation Medicine Cabinet NJ 2009
 
An alarming number of New Jersey’s youth are intentionally abusing prescription medicines to get high.

The 2007 study by the National Study of Drug‐Use and Health found that 70% of people who abuse prescription pain relievers say they got them from friends or relatives. A recent study on drug use by New Jersey middle school students conducted by the Partnership for a Drug Free New Jersey (PDFNJ) found that in half the schools surveyed prescription drugs are abused more than twice that of ecstasy and cocaine. What’s worse, another PDFNJ study found that 47% of the parents of middle school students know very little about prescription drug abuse.

To help combat this growing threat to our nation’s children, the United States Senate has deemed October 2009 as National Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Month. Here in Cranford, we’re taking things even further by hosting Operation Medicine Cabinet New Jersey (OMCNJ) on November 14, 2009. OMCNJ is for community residents to properly dispose of their unused, unwanted and expired medicine. This statewide initiative is the first of its kind in the nation. The statewide effort is being spearheaded by the Drug‐Enforcement Administration‐New Jersey Division, the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General and the Partnership for a Drug‐Free New Jersey, the Cranford Police Department, as well as dozens of federal, state, county and local law enforcement, and prevention organizations in the state.

Prescription drug abuse is a growing problem in New Jersey, and the easiest way to combat it is to properly dispose of your old medicine. OMCNJ is the best way to do just that, so on Novermber 14th, visit our local collection site (Municipal Building Room 7 located at 8 Springfield Avenue) and drop off your unused, unwanted or expired medicine. For more information, please visit www.operationmedicinecabinetnj.com.

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Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day 2009 

Motorists in New Jersey and throughout the nation are asked to join a day-long effort on October 10, 2009, designated to increase awareness about safe driving behaviors and keep the State’s roadways fatality free for one day.

Known as Put The Brakes On Fatalities Day, the national initiative was designated to unite the country in moving toward zero fatalities for one full day by encouraging motorists to obey all traffic laws, including buckling up, every ride; driving the posted speed limit; avoiding distractions while driving; and always being safe and sober behind the wheel. 

To support this effort, the Cranford Police Department will be stepping up traffic enforcement and focusing on violations that lead to serious motor vehicle crashes.

Last year in New Jersey, 591 individuals lost their lives in motor vehicle related crashes.  This number represents a 19 percent decline from the previous year, and also marks the lowest number of recorded motor vehicle deaths in the State since 1948.

“Clearly, this effort will go a long way in our continuing efforts to stem the tide of tragedies that occur every day on New Jersey’s roadways,” Police Chief Eric Mason said. “Shining the spotlight on this one day can help create a groundswell of support for safe driving practices that can carry over throughout the year.”

Like last year, police departments throughout the State will once again be asked to report crash information for October 10^th to the Division of Highway Traffic Safety, the State’s lead traffic safety agency.  The Division will post this information on its website – www.njsaferoads.com – and distribute it to the media.

Approximately 66 percent of the 496 police agencies in the State, as well as the State Police, reported its crash data to the Division following last year’s Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day.  A total of 1,065 crashes took place in New Jersey on that day; resulting in 201 injuries and two fatalities.

CPD Traffic Safety Program Rewarded

The Cranford Police Department was honored on May 11, 2009 after receiving a first place finish in the 45-65 officer category of the New Jersey Law Enforcement Challenge for the second year in a row.  The Law Enforcement Challenge is a competition between similar sizes and types of law enforcement agencies.  It recognizes and rewards the best overall traffic safety programs in the United States.  The areas of concentration include efforts to enforce laws and educate the public about occupant protection, impaired driving, and speeding.  The wining safety programs are those that combine officer training, public information, and enforcement to reduce crashes and injuries within its jurisdiction.

The Cranford Police Department also finished the competition with the second highest overall score for all department categories.  For placing second overall, the department received a laser speed gun from Laser Technology, Inc. valued at $3,000.  The laser speed gun was received in late August and will be used for speed enforcement mainly in high traffic locations where traditional Doppler radar is difficult to conduct.

The Law Enforcement Challenge is financed through a grant awarded to the International Association of Chief’s of Police (IACP) by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).  Both of these organizations believe an increase in traffic enforcement in a community results in a decrease in motor vehicle crashes, injuries, and fatalities.  The New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police has established it’s own state Challenge program along with the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety.

Helmet Reward Program Continues

The Cranford Police Department has been handing out “Positive Summonses” since the start of summer in an effort to promote the use of helmets and encourage safe behavior. The Cranford Police Department in collaboration with Safe Kids Union County at Children's Specialized Hospital and the Brain Injury Association of New Jersey implemented the Think Positive: A Helmet Safety Reward Program for the third year in a row.  The program is funded by the Office for the Prevention of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. The safety initiative is part of a statewide education and awareness initiative designed to prevent brain injury in children and promote the New Jersey State law that requires all children under 17 to wear a helmet when bicycling, roller skating, or skateboarding.

Children under the age of 17 seen wearing a helmet, when participating in a wheeled sport activity, are given a “positive summons” by a police officer.  The summons includes a reward for the child for practicing safe responsible behavior.  The reward donated by Il Giardino Ristorante of 103 Miln Street can be redeemed for a free slice of pizza.  The summons also contains a raffle ticket for a prize which will be raffled in the fall.  The summons when shown to the parent provides additional information on brain injury and helmet safety.  The reward makes the program appealing to the kids and encourages them to get “caught” wearing their helmet.

Brain injury is a leading cause of death and disability in children and young adults.  A properly worn helmet is the single most effective safety device available to reduce brain injury and death by as much as 88% (Dr. C. Everett Koop).  New Jersey’s helmet law requires that “Children under the age of 17 wear a helmet while bicycling, skateboarding, and roller-skating.”  Think Positive: A Helmet Safety Reward Program is a community program that involves not only police and local children, but also schools, businesses, community leaders, media, and most importantly parents.  Information is given to parents on the need to prevent injury/wear a helmet and hints for ensuring helmet use. In the end, parents are advised to establish the rule "No helmet, no bike!" Parents are urged to avoid the risk of head injury themselves and to be a role model by wearing a helmet themselves when engaged in wheeled activities.  For additional information on brain injury, visit www.bianj.org or call the Brain Injury Association of New Jersey at 1-800-669-4323.

The third class of the Cranford Police Department Youth Police Academy graduated recently after completing a one-week course designed to expose them to the functions of the police department.

The academy program, designed to bridge the gap between the members of the police department and the youth of Cranford, included 26 cadets from Cranford between the ages of 11 and 14.  “The primary goal of the Youth Police Academy is to encourage open communication between Cranford youth and the members of the Cranford Police Department” said Cranford Police Chief Eric Mason.

Each academy day started with one hour of physical fitness and military drill practice followed by classroom lectures and demonstrations.  Training sessions were designed to familiarize the cadets with the roles of Cranford police officers, as well as the functions of various county and state law enforcement agencies.  During the week, cadets received classroom lectures and practical exercises on police department structure, patrol operations, motor vehicle stops, the Investigative Division, DWI, first aid/CPR, firearms safety, gang awareness, the Traffic Division, emergency vehicle operations, and the FBI.

In addition, demonstrations were presented by the Union County Sheriff’s K-9 Unit, New Jersey State Police Northstar Medivac, Union/Essex County Auto Theft Task Force, Union County SWAT/UCERT, and the Cranford Police Department Water Rescue Team.

Family and friends of the cadets attended the graduation ceremony held at the Cranford Community Center.  Academy lead instructors, Detective Matthew Widdows and Patrolman Steven D’Ambola, led the graduation ceremonies.  During the ceremony, family and friends were given an overview of the Youth Academy Program.  The highlight of the graduation was a slide show depicting the weeklong training experience.  All graduating cadets received certificates for their participation in the program.

  CPD Citizen Police Academy

DWI Enforcement
From August 21 - September 7, 2009, the Cranford Police Department will be cracking down on drunk drivers as part of the Over the Limit Under Arrest 2009 Statewide Crackdown.  The department recently received a $6,000 grant from the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety for overtime enforcement during this two-week campaign.

A concentrated national effort, the campaign helps to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving through high-visibility enforcement and public education tools, including posters, banners, and mobile video displays signs.  Launched nationally in 1999, the program works to combat drunk driving during some of the busiest travel times of the year.

“Many people believe that after just a few drinks, they’re safe to drive,” said Pam Fischer, Director of the Division of Highway Traffic Safety.  “Even one drink can impair your judgement and reaction time, putting not only yourself, but everyone on the road, in danger.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that nationally, drunk driving fatalities accounted for 32 percent of all traffic deaths in 2008.  Last year in New Jersey, 152 people were killed as a result of alcohol-related crashes.  That number represents 26 percent of the 590 traffic fatalities reported in the state last year.  In addition, 56 of those alcohol-related fatalities occurred during the summer travel season.

The Cranford Police Department will be joining other law enforcement agencies throughout the state participating in the Over the Limit Under Arrest 2009 Crackdown.  Cranford Police Chief Eric G. Mason offers the following advice:
•    If you plan to drink, choose a designated driver before going out.
•    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.  In New Jersey, drivers may dial #77 to report a drunk driver or aggressive driver.
•    Always buckle up, every ride.  It’s your best defense against an impaired driver.
•    If you’re intoxicated and traveling on foot, the safest way to get home is to take a cab or have a sober friend drive you to your doorstep.

National Night Out
The Cranford Police Department will be participating in the 26th Annual National Night Out on Tuesday, August 4th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. near the Gazebo at the intersection of North Union Avenue and Springfield Avenue.  The free nationwide event is designed to promote crime prevention awareness.  It also allows the public to interact with members of the police department and obtain information about the department's many programs.

The Cranford PBA will be sponsoring a blood drive with Community Blood Services of NJ.  This blood drive was organized to honor the memory of Jersey City PD Detective Marc DiNardo and his fellow critically injured officers. 

There will be displays of police vehicles, including a police car, zodiac boat, motorcycle, and ambulance.  A DJ, face painter, magician, and balloon animal maker will all be on hand to entertain.  Members of the Cranford PBA Local #52 will be handing out free Italian Ices and pretzels to all in attendance as well.

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Click It or Ticket - 2009
Law enforcement officers from the Cranford Police Department will be cracking down on unbuckled motorists and their passengers as part of the nationwide “Click It or Ticket” campaign.  Beginning May 18 and running through May 31, the annual initiative includes high visibility law enforcement seat belt checkpoints and saturation patrols, as well as local and national publicity designed to ensure that drivers and passengers recognize the life-saving value of seat belts.

“Using a seat belt is the simplest way for a motorist and his or her passengers to protect themselves when on the road,” said Cranford Police Chief Eric Mason.  “Motor vehicle occupants who buckle-up are between 45 and 75 percent less likely to face life threatening injuries in a car crash.”  Last year, the seatbelt usage rate in New Jersey rose for the 12^th consecutive year to 91.75%.  The goal of this year’s campaign is 100% compliance.  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 18 - 31, the Cranford Police Department 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.

The Cranford Police Department is pleased to announce an additional session of the “Alive at 25® Parent Program” in Cranford.  The program was developed by the National Safety Council to supplement their “Alive at 25®” driving course for teenagers.

In 2007 Governor Corzine established the Teen Driver Study Commission to assess the state of teen driving in New Jersey and make recommendations that will ultimately reduce crashes and save lives.  In March of 2008 the Governor’s Teen Driver Study Commission issued their findings, which included fourteen recommendations for improving teen driver safety in New Jersey.  One of these recommendations was to require a parent/guardian to attend a teen driver orientation program prior to their teen applying for a permit.  We feel the “Alive at 25® Parent Program” goes a long way in following through on this recommendation.    “Given the inexperience of these teen drivers, they need some structure to handle the huge responsibility of driving.  That’s what this parent program will accomplish,” said Police Chief Eric Mason.

The “Alive at 25® Parent Program” urges parents to sit down with their teen and draw up a contract to drive responsibly as well as assume a greater role in seeing their children are safe on the road.  It also encourages parents to take a look at their own driving behavior and how they can be better role models on the road.

The parent course addresses the following topics:

• Readiness to assist your teen in the learn-to-drive process
• Risks and hazards
• Defensive driving
• Preventable collisions
• Elements of the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) System
• GDL and other motor vehicle laws
• The purpose and components of an effective Parent/Teen agreement
• The relationship between driving restrictions and consequences for violations

On January 27,2009, Governor Jon S. Corzine signed into law a bill that requires drivers approaching stationary emergency vehicles, tow trucks, and other highway safety vehicles displaying certain flashing lights to move over one lane or, if not safe to change lanes, then to slow down below the posted speed limit.