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On Tuesday, February 9, 2016 at 8:30 a.m. Union County Sheriff Joe Cryan presided over a ceremony at the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth, promoting Sergeant Nakera Sherman from the rank of Sheriff’s Officer to Sheriff’s Officer Sergeant.

Sergeant Sherman is a 13 year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office.  She resides in Plainfield with her two daughters, Kayla and Jada, both of whom were present at their mother’s side for the ceremony.

Sheriff Cryan administered the oath and addressed the crowded courtroom afterwards.

“It is my honor and pleasure to promote Sergeant Sherman.  She is quite deserving of this promotion.  She has been a consistent performer and professional wherever she has been assigned for her entire career.  I have the utmost confidence in her going forward, and I congratulate her and her family on this milestone,” said Cryan.

Sergeant Sherman briefly addressed the crowd. “I want to thank Sheriff Cryan for his confidence in me,” she said, “And I want to thank my family and God for this opportunity and this challenge.”

Sergeant Sherman will be assigned to the Complex Security Division.

Last year was a year of change for the Union County Sheriff’s Office, as I was sworn in to my first full three year term. We had a year of progress, with arrests up almost forty percent, the automation of our time and attendance systems, a full scale training exercise for Response to an Active Shooter at the Courthouse Complex, the addition of report management automation and GPS positioning in our cars and the start of implementation of body worn cameras. We also welcomed over 1.2 million unique visitors to the Courthouse Complex without incident or complaint, transported over fifteen thousand prisoners with no incidents, and initiated a new commitment to training for our officers and clerical personnel.

In addition to training our officers, we have significantly advanced the physical security of the Courthouse Complex through improved security screening processes and a new camera and monitoring system. Our ability to see and monitor all areas within the courthouse complex has been dramatically upgraded, providing additional security for all concerned. Also, in this past year we developed a new website (ucnj.org/sheriff), developed the “Union County Sheriff’s Office” mobile app that is available for free download in both the Apple Store and the Play Store for Android devices, and established a Facebook presence (Sheriff Joe Cryan). We welcome you to follow us, and we certainly solicit your input. 

A source of pride for our office is our employees’ commitment to excellence and professionalism in their employment here at the Sheriff’s Office, and their commitment as private citizens to the communities they live in and serve. Our Sheriff’s personnel are your neighbors, and share the same values all folks do. They are coaches of Little League baseball, softball, soccer, basketball and football for our youth, and Big Brothers and Big Sisters here in Union County; they are troop leaders of Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Brownies, and Girl Scouts. Our personnel are members of numerous First Aid Squads, Volunteer Fire Departments and Junior ROTC. They are school Class Mothers, PTA members, they volunteer for beach clean ups, volunteer with the Community Food Bank in Hillside, rescue dogs, volunteer at animal shelters, and participate with The Center for Hope and Hospice.

More than half of our employees contribute regularly to a variety of charities. Last year alone, they donated more than 100 pints of blood. The people I’m proud to lead are members of civic organizations such as the Elks, the Knights of Columbus, VFW, American Legion, and many more. They come to work as professionals each day, perform random acts of kindness more often than I can list, and every day make Union County and their communities a better place to live.

2016 will provide more challenges for us, as each work day does. Building on our foundation of success, I’m confident we are ready to meet what may lie ahead.

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For more information about the Union County Sheriff and all Union County programs and services visit ucnj.org, call the Public Info Line, 877-424-1234, email info@ucnj.org or use the online Contact Form.

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Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados and Union County Sheriff Joseph Cryan thanked volunteers Sgt. Tara Halpin, Sgt. Maryann Hopko, Officer Keith Rayner, Judi McCartney, Officer Anastasio Anastasatos and his children Jake and Isabella for working the clothing and toy drive sponsored by the Union County Sheriff’s Office Saturday morning at the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth. Thousands of donated items were collected and distributed to the homeless and needy families.

(Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

The Union County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with the officers’ Tree of Hope charity, is currently hosting a winter clothing and toy drive that will benefit Union County’s homeless and families in need, Sheriff Joseph Cryan announce today.

Officers are now collecting new and slightly used winter clothing and toys for all adults and children. Items including shirts, pants, winter coats, scarves, gloves, hats and shoes are needed for the homeless and families in need.

Donation boxes are located at all Union County Courthouse entrances, Union County Administration Building, Union County Prosecutor’s Office, Union County Probation Building, the Union County Division of Social Services in Elizabeth, the Colleen Fraser Building at 300 North Avenue East in Westfield, the Kenilworth Veterans Center and Elizabeth Police Department.

Donated items are welcome at all locations during normal business hours until January 15, 2016.

Sheriff’s officers will distribute the donated items to Union County’s homeless and families in need on Saturday January 16, 2106 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth. 

For more information please call (908) 629-2158.

On Wednesday afternoon, Sheriff Joe Cryan had the opportunity to participate in a great event for the holiday season.  In the spirit of giving, the Sheriff along with Union Township Police Officer Dorothy Mascolo, Union Township Committeeman Joseph Florio, Reverend Samuel Wright of the Union Chapel Church, Union Township Mayor Manuel Figueirdo, Union Township Committeeman Cliff People, and Union Township Business Administrator Ron Manzella distributed 150 turkeys with all of the fixins for  a very nice holiday dinner to township residents. Freeholder Chairman Mohamed Jalloh participated as well.  Thanks to the St. Paul’s Calvary Church for the use of their facilities.

Every holiday season for 18 years, Union County Sheriff’s Officers have set up their “Tree of Hope” in the courthouse seeking donations of toys and clothing for needy children throughout the county. Each year the response has been overwhelming.

The “Tree of Hope” was first planted in 1997 when officers encountered children in the courts who were going to experience a less than happy holiday season. The children the officers encountered were homeless or living in shelters, were victims of domestic violence or medically fragile.  Their parents or guardians did not have the financial ability to provide holiday gifts.

Every year since the “Tree of Hope” committee have erected a tree in the Union County Courthouse featuring paper ornaments. Volunteers make the ornaments and write a particular gift on each one.

Monetary donations to help provide additional gifts are also being sought.

Contributions of money (tax-deductible), toys and clothing can be sent to: Union County Sheriff’s Officers Tree of Hope, Union County Courthouse, 2 Broad Street, Elizabeth, N.J., 07207. For more information, call the “Tree of Hope” hotline at 908-629-2158.

Repost from NJ.com

ELIZABETH — Federal and state leaders gathered at the fire department Monday to implore Congress to reauthorize legislation that gives health benefits to Sept. 11 first responders.

U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, one of the bill’s original sponsors, told about 80 people gathered outside the firehouse that the law reassures first responders their compensation will last.

The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act reimburses first responders who contracted health issues after Sept. 11, 2001. The legislation expired Sept. 30, but there is still enough money to continue funding the program for months.

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr., U.S. Rep. Donald Payne, Jr., state Sen. Ray Lesniak and Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage also spoke at the rally. 

Booker told the crowd reauthorization of the Zadroga Act is not just a New Jersey or a New York issue.

“We should not have to be here,” he said. “It is a shame upon our nation that we are begging congresspeople to do what’s right.”

Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Bruce H. Bergen, Freeholders Alexander Mirabella and Angel G. Estrada and Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi joined Union County Sheriff’s Captain Dennis Burke in congratulating the winners of the 5th Annual Union County Sheriff’s Pistol Competition at the Union County Sheriff’s Firearms Training Facility in Springfield. Cpl. Sean Dougherty of the Union County Police Department won 1st Place. Sgt. Jerry Plum of the Plainfield Police Department took 2nd Place. Union County Sheriff’s Officer Keith Rhyner took 3rd Place. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

During the early morning hours of Friday, October 15, members of the Union County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division-Family Violence Unit conducted a child support sweep in Union, Linden, Rahway, Roselle and Hillside, Union County Sheriff Joseph Cryan announced today.

The Sheriff’s officers arrested 15 people for failure to pay child support for arrears totaling $419,890.42. As a result of their investigation, an additional 7 people surrendered to the Sheriff’s Office for arrears totaling $171,792.98.

“Time and time again we are seeing parents struggle because someone has shirked their responsibility,” Sheriff Cryan said.

“We want to send a message that if you are not paying your obligation for child support, we will pursue you and we will catch you,” the Sheriff added. “If this type of enforcement coerces other parents to pay what they owe, it is worth it.”

The round-up was led by Family Violence Unit Commander Lt. Jeffery Coon and Unit Supervisor Sgt. Clifford Meros. All the arrests were made without incident.

Those who were arrested were committed to the Union County Jail pending a Superior Court appearance. The people who surrendered were processed and brought for a Superior Court appearance.

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Union County Amilcar “Mickey” Colon was one of four recipients of the 2015 Service Award given by the Boys Scouts of America, Patriots’ Path Council, during a recent dinner at the annual Boy Scouts of America Scouting…Vale la Pena Service Awards Dinner held at the Portuguese Instructive Social Club in Elizabeth. The Patriots’ Path Council includes Morris, Sussex, Somerset, Union, and Middlesex counties. This year’s honorees included Freeholder Sergio Granados, Maria Navedo vice president and branch manager at Santander Bank, Amilcar “Mickey” Colon, Union County Undersheriff, and Luis O. De La Hoz senior vice president at the Intersect Fund, a non-profit micro-lender. These recipients are chosen for their outstanding services as evidenced by the interest and leadership they have demonstrated within the community. They are citizens who live the ideals of the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives. The 2015 dinner chair was George A. Castro II, broker and owner of Century 21 Atlantic.