Author: Web Site Administrator

Citizens of Union County battling substance abuse or addiction will be eligible to surrender small amounts of narcotics without being arrested and gain access to recovery services free of charge under a new initiative being launched today by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, Prevention Links, and the County Sheriff’s Office, Police Department, and Prosecutor’s Office.

The Community Law Enforcement Addiction Recovery (C.L.E.A.R.) program will be available to members of the public from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Union County Sheriff’s Office, basement level of 27 Elizabethtown Plaza in Elizabeth, and at Union County Police Department headquarters, 300 North Avenue East in Westfield.

Those seeking to participate in the program will be screened for eligibility by members of law enforcement and permitted to surrender illegal drugs and paraphernalia for personal use without fear of arrest, prosecution, or questioning. Those excluded from participation will include citizens with active warrants or those previously convicted of certain serious indictable offenses.

Participants will be connected with Prevention Links-trained certified recovery specialists, who will serve as personal guides and mentors for those seeking to overcome their addiction.

“This is an essential component of our mission to provide support to individuals and family members seeking assistance accessing treatment and recovery services,” said Pamela Capaci, CEO of Prevention Links.

The initiative is based on a model first established by the Gloucester Police Department in Massachusetts and later adopted by the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office and Newton Police Department. The County Freeholder Board authorized $17,000 in funding for the program and an additional $150,000 this year for inpatient addiction treatment beds.

The model can also be adopted by individual municipal police departments.

“There is an urgent need to get more of those who suffer from opioid addiction to help, and Operation C.L.E.A.R. is certainly a step in the right direction,” Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen said.

“For far too long, law enforcement has approached this issue from one angle only, seeking to go after and arrest those who sell, buy, and use drugs,” Union County Sheriff Joseph P. Cryan said. “Considering the scope and depth of the heroin and opioid abuse epidemic as it exists today, both here in Union County and nationwide, it’s beyond obvious that we need to fundamentally change that attitude. We want those affected by this to be able to look to us for help.”

At least 89 people died from fatal drug overdoses in Union County last year, more than any year since the start of the decade. Police departments in Union County began deploying the lifesaving overdose-reversal drug naloxone in July 2014, with more than 300 total deployments recorded to date.

“In addition to co-sponsoring the new C.L.E.A.R. program and launching our naloxone program nearly three years ago, we also strongly support the Project Medicine Drop initiative, through which citizens can safely dispose of unwanted or excess prescription medication that might otherwise fall into the wrong hands,” acting Union County Prosecutor Grace H. Park added, noting that the number of Drop boxes available countywide has grown from two in 2013 to 12 today. “We are also strong proponents of our Drug Court program, through which nonviolent offenders can gain access to the recovery services they need, and we are proud members of the Union County Opioid Response Initiative, through which recipients of police-administered naloxone are connected with addiction recovery specialists at our local hospitals.”

“We are doing everything in our power to address this pressing public safety issue in every way we can.”

For information, please call 1-855-825-3275 or visit www.ucnj.org/clear.

Union County Sheriff Joseph Cryan congratulates Patrolman Christopher Laver and K9 Jada of the Hackettstown Police Department, Patrolman Matthew Casterline and K9 Chase of the Hillside Police Department, Officer Albert Bauer and K9 Diesel and Officer Shannon Dinella and K9 Basilone from the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office on graduating the Union County’s Sheriff’s Office K9 Training Academy during the graduation ceremony for Class 17-01 in Summit.

They were joined by Somerset County Sheriff Frank Provenzano, Hackettstown Police Chief James Macaulay and Sergeant Brian Howarth of the Union County Sheriff’s K-9 Unit. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen joined Acting Union County Prosecutor Grace Park, Union County Sheriff Joseph Cryan, Union County Public Safety Director Andrew Moran, Friends of the Union County Child Advocacy Center President Drew Ertman and Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage at the 3rd annual 5K fundraiser Race 4 the Children event in Warinanco Park. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Sheriff Joseph Cryan, Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi and Union County Surrogate James LaCorte congratulate the top winners of the 2017 “My County” poster contest sponsored by the Union County Constitutional Officers.

The top winners of the contest are (from 2nd left):   Sofia Ortiz (1^st place) from the Sherman School in Roselle Park, Madisyn Brunson (2^nd place) from St. John the Apostle Elementary in Clark, Ying Chow (3^rd place) from the Sherman School in Roselle Park    and Addison Heuck (4^th place) from Holy Trinity Interparochial School in Westfield.

More than 200 fourth grade students from schools throughout Union County entered the contest.

(Photos by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen, Freeholders Angel G. Estrada and Christopher Hudak, Acting Union County Prosecutor Grace Park, Union County Sheriff Joe Cryan and Executive Director of the YWCA of Union County Janice C. Lilien attend the 4th annual Union County C.A.R.E.S. (Community, Action, Response, Education, Safety) Domestic Violence Symposium at Kean University in Union. They were joined by David Fletcher, President of the Elizabethtown Healthcare Foundation and Shavar Jeffries, a partner with the law firm Lowenstein Sandler, LLP. Mr. Jeffries was the keynote speaker.

Symposium was sponsored by the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, YWCA Union County, Kean University, the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Elizabeth-based Family and Children’s Services, Iris House, Trinitas Regional Medical Center, and the Elizabethtown Healthcare Foundation.

The Symposium was scheduled to coincide with the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Crimes Victims’ Rights Week, held this year from April 2 to 8 (for more information, go online to https://ovc.ncjrs.gov/ncvrw).

A team of assessors from the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police (NJSACOP) will arrive on Sunday, March 26, 2017, to examine all aspects of the Union County Sheriff’s Office policies and procedures, management, operations, and support services Sheriff Joseph Cryan announced today.

“Verification by the team that the Union County Sheriff’s Office meets the Commission’s “best practice” standards is part of a voluntary process to achieve accreditation, a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence”, Joseph Cryan  said.

As part of this final on-site assessment, employees and members of the general public are invited to provide comments to the assessment team. They may do so by telephone or email.  The public may call 908-527- 4080 on Monday, March 27, 2017  between the hours of 10:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.  Email comments can be sent to phora@ucnj.org.

Telephone comments are limited to 5 minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with the NJSACOP standards.  A copy of the standards is available for inspection at the Union County Sheriff’s Offfice 10 Elizabethtown Plaza, Elizabeth NJ 07207.  Please contact Sergeant Patrick Hora at (908) 527-4942.

Anyone wishing to offer written comments about the Union County Sheriff’s Office ability to comply with the standards for accreditation is requested to email the Accreditation Program manager at hdelgado@njsacop.org or write the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police, Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission at 751 Route 73 North, Suite 12 Marlton, N.J. 08053.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office must comply with NJSACOP LEAP standards in order to achieve accredited status.  Sheriff Joseph Cryan indicated, “Accreditation results in greater accountability within the agency, reduced risk and liability exposure, stronger defense against civil lawsuits, increased community advocacy, and more confidence in the agency’s ability to operate efficiently and respond to community needs.” 

The Accreditation Program Manager for the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police is Mr. Harry J Delgado, Ed.S.  “The assessment team is composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar New Jersey law enforcement agencies.  The assessors will review written materials, interview agency members, and visit offices and other places where compliance with the standards can be observed.  Once the Commission’s assessors complete their review of the agency, they will report to the full Commission, which will then decide if the agency is to be granted accredited status”, Harry J Delgado stated. 

Accreditation is valid for a three-year period during which time the agency must submit annual reports attesting to their continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.

The New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police through its New Jersey Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission is the legitimate authority and accreditation agency in the state of New Jersey. For more information regarding the Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission please write the Commission at New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police, Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission at 751 Route 73 North, Suite 12 Marlton, N.J. 08053 or email hdelgado@njsacop.org

On Thursday, March 2, the Union County Sheriff’s Office took part in the Read Across America program throughout Union County.  Read Across America commemorates Dr Seuss’s birthday each year.  Sheriff Joe Cryan explained“ We send some of our officers out to schools throughout Union County to read a Dr. Seuss book to the kids”. He added “ It’s a great program.  This is the second consecutive year our officers have participated in this program.  It’s a win/win for our officers and the kids involved. Anytime we can get out in the community and interact with the kids in a positive way it’s a good thing, and it provides us an opportunity to promote reading to the kids in a fun way.”  Officers from the Union County Sheriff’s Office read to students in School #9 in Elizabeth, Brunner Elementary School in Scotch Plains, the Hannah Caldwell Elementary School in Union, and the Cedarbrook K-8 School in Plainfield.

The Hillside Chapter of UNICO recently held a Veterans Appreciation Breakfast and Program at the Hillside Knights of Columbus in Hillside.

Well over 100 Veterans from all parts of the state, including the Lyons Hospital of the Veterans Administration in Lyons, attended the free breakfast and program. Donations were collected and turned over to Lyons Hospital for use for the Veterans.

Left to Right Hillside UNICO Chapter President Angelo J. Bonanno, Union County Sheriff Joe Cryan, Union County Freeholder Alexander Mirabella, Hillside Council President and Third Ward Councilman Don DeAugustine, and Adam Samiec, a Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipient for the Korean War, Hillside.
Sitting: World War II Veteran Mario Mauro, of Hillside, and World War II Veteran Steven Pega of Cranford.

Brendan Karolchyk the son of Scott and Sharon Karolchyk of Lake Hopatcong recently completed his Eagle Scout project.  As a result, the K-9 Officers of the Union County Sheriff’s Office will have a new storage shed outfitted with K-9 bite suit dryers and storage areas for other K-9 equipment.

For his Eagle Scout service project, Brendan designed the shed himself and coordinated the efforts to make it a reality.  Brendan organized the effort with the Union and Morris County Sheriff’s K-9 units, contractor Charlie Bautz, County Concrete of Ledgewood, Quality Fence of Ledgewood, and the help of his father Scott and his stepmom Sharon.

Brendan is a member of Boy Scout Troop 81 of Sparta, NJ. Brendan has now reached that rank of Eagle Scout and will celebrate the achievement in a ceremony in January.

Union County Sheriff Joe Cryan congratulates Eagle Scout Brendan Karolchyk with Sheriff’s K-9 officers Det. Gialanella, Sgt. Howarth, and Officer O’Grady.

K-9 Sgt. Brian Howarth with partner Devante, Sheriff Joe Cryan, Detective Anthony Gialanella with partner Marco, Eagle Scout Brendan Karolchyk, Scott Karolchyk, Sharon Karolchyk, and K-9 Officer O’Grady with partner Reese.