County-Wide Policing Idea On Track

By Lea Florentine  Aug 12, 2011

The Task Force that is investigating the feasibility and logistics of establishing a county-wide police force issued an interim statement summarizing its findings on June 27. Operational hierarchies and costs for police departments throughout the county have already been analyzed. According to Geoffrey Soriano, Somerset County Prosecutor and Chair of the Task Force, “The current initiative is the third phase in the effort to determine if a regional police force will be more cost-effective and beneficial to public safety than the 19 independent police departments currently serving Somerset County.”

Montgomery Township Administrator Donato Nieman is chairing a sub-committee that identified the administrative positions that would be needed for the change. Nieman foresees a County-wide force being administered by a Chief or Director, Police Command Staff Chief Financial Officer, and Legal and Labor Counsel. Individuals would be appointed to these positions 18 to 24 months prior to creation of a regionalized police department.

Nieman’s sub-committee is also investigating how funding would be obtained from the participating municipalities during transition to a county force and long term. Initially, municipalities would contribute to the regional force based on the average of three prior years of budgets for their police departments. This amount would be adjusted depending on the number of officers the municipality transfers to the county force. Ultimately, funding would depend on the number of calls for service and the time spent on each call in a municipality.

The sub-committee charged with identifying a new organization structure is led by Hillsborough Township Chief of Police Paul Kaminsky. This group decided that five precincts were needed after it analyzed crime records throughout the county. Precinct 1 would consist of the municipalities of Bedminster, Bernards, Bernardsville, Far Hills, and Peapack and Gladstone; Precinct 2 would be Green Brook, North Plainfield, Warren, and Watchung; while Precinct 3 would be Branchburg, Bridgewater, Bound Brook, Raritan, and Somerville. Montgomery and Rocky Hill would be combined with Hillsborough, Millstone, and Manville to become Precinct 4. Franklin Township and South Bound Brook would make up the fifth precinct. Kaminsky’s sub-committee is investigating how to best deploy this structure.

According to Soriano, “Under the proposal being put together by Chief Kaminsky’s sub-committee, participating municipalities will see an increase in the number of patrol officers. There will be less superior officers.” The report states that additional dispatchers would be needed to expand communication. In addition, technology, records, training, operational procedures, labor contracts and salaries would all need to be standardized. The task force plans to reuse existing facilities wherever possible.

Soriano expects the Task Force to issue its final recommendations in March 2012.
 

Police Blotter - January 2012

 Dec 16, 2011

A 32-year-old Blackwood, NJ man was arrested for having an old warrant and a suspended license on Nov. 17 after he was stopped for improper passing on Rt. 206. He was released on bail pending an appearance in Township Court.

Township Police nearly became victims of a drunk driver on Nov. 21 at 2:45 am. The driver, a 24-year-old Trenton man, had gotten a head start on Thanksgiving cheer and was southbound on Rt. 206 with a full head of steam. Rt. 206 had been closed off for resurfacing between Rt. 518 and Cherry Valley Rd. No matter: he drove around a police car that had overhead lights activated, and ignored signs and traffic cones. MTPD Detective Hofacker, who was on duty at the blocked road, tried stopping him with no luck. Det. Hofacker radioed to Lt. Jim Curry, who was located at Benjamin Boulevard in a police car with its lights flashing. The drunk driver didn't see him either. Lt. Curry had to put his car in gear and gun it to avoid being T-boned by the oncoming car, which eventually did stop, hopefully without getting stuck in fresh asphalt. Arriving officers Sles and Zizwarek arrived to assist in the arrest of the man, who was charged with DWI, careless driving, and failing to obey the direct order of a police officer.

On Nov. 29, a 38-year-old Princeton woman was ticketed for careless driving after her car struck a pedestrian in the parking lot of the Montgomery Shopping Center at 11:38 am. The pedestrian suffered a cut on her liked and was taken to UMCP by MEMS.

Someone stole the sign valued at $80 from the front of a Village Shopper restaurant on Nov. 30. It was observed on a surveillance video and MTPD is investigating.

A Township car dealership reported the theft of 15 catalytic converters. The employee claimed that the converters went missing sometime between Monday, Nov. 28 and Nov. 30, when it was reported. The total replacement cost is $5,281. No surveillance camera. There's a lesson in that somewhere.

A Dec. 5 traffic stop on Rt. 206 near Rt. 518 resulted in the arrest of a 45-year-old Princeton man after officers discovered he had an outstanding $106 warrant from Princeton Township. He was released after posting bail.
On Dec. 9, a Cherry Hill Rd. resident reported that his home was broken into through the front window and jewelry was stolen sometime during that day. MTPD Detective Bureau is investigating.

MTPD, Montgomery Fire Company #1 and 2, Rocky Hill Hook and Ladder, MEMS and Rocky Hill First Aid Squads reported to a smoky electrical fire at Princeton Fitness and Wellness at the Princeton North Shopping Center on Dec. 9 at 8 pm. The fire, in the ceiling, was put out with minimal damage with no injuries.
 

Former MHS Teacher Arrested in December

 Jan 11, 2012

A former Montgomery High School Video Production teacher and coach in the athletic department, employed from 1996 through 2003, was arrested in mid-December after investigators from the County Prosecutors office searched his home and found videotapes and computer files of boys in the communal shower at Immaculata High School. Following the seizure of the videos, investigators found a camera in the shower at the school, which, authorities say, had been in place for about three years.

The former teacher, a Somerville resident, was an assistant principal at Somerset Hills School District and also a volunteer coach with the athletic department at Immaculata. He also regularly videotaped Immaculata High Schools football games.

The 54-year-old man was accused of having videotaped 22 boys, nine of them under the age of 16. The tapes were discovered at the defendant’s home, and the hidden camera was found in the shower room.
He was held in Somerset County Jail on $500,000 bail and faces more than 50 charges, including second, third and fourth degree endangering the welfare of a child, and fourth degree invasion of privacy.



 

Parking on Street Is Prohibition During Snow Emergency

 Jan 6, 2011

Police remind all residents that Parking on Street Is Prohibition During Snow Emergency:

Whenever snow covers the streets, an emergency is deemed to exist and no vehicle shall be parked on any of the municipal streets. This parking prohibition is in effect after the snow has stopped until the streets have been plowed sufficiently and to the extent that parking will not interfere with the normal flow of traffic.

Any vehicle parked or standing in violation of this rule interferes with the safe and proper regulation of traffic and any police officer may provide for the removal of such vehicle. The owner of such vehicle will be responsible for the reasonable costs of the removal and storage before regaining possession of the vehicle.

Police Advisory: Lock Cars at Night

 May 27, 2010

Montgomery Township Police are warning residents to lock their vehicles parked in their driveways overnight. Last Thursday May 20th several vehicles were entered on Fox Chase Lane and Willow Run Lane. Wednesday night May 26th, unlocked vehicles were entered on Belle Mead-Griggstown Road, Ellis Drive and Bunker Drive. Currency and electronic devices were reported stolen out of some of the cars. Residents are urged to call the police if they see or hear anything suspicious at 908-359-3222 or 9-1-1 in case of an emergency.