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The Union County Sheriff’s office will be hosting a free, Children’s Coloring/Activity Book competition for the Spring of 2020. High School students will be eligible to create a child’s coloring/activity book that centers around one the following topics: Bullying and/or Cyberbullying, Internet Safety, Police Officers are Your Friends, Traffic Safety, Personal Safety, Drug Safety or Weapon Safety.

“This program provides a tremendous opportunity for high school students to use their creativity and impart valuable information to younger students,” said Union County Sheriff Peter Corvelli.

The competition is open to High School students only. High Schools will be eligible to submit as many applications to the competition as they wish. The book content must be appropriate for students aged Kindergarten through 5th grade. One winner will be chosen from each submitted topic. The winning books will be published and distributed throughout Union County community events starting this summer.

Registration forms to enter the competition must be submitted by February 14, 2020 with all entries in the competition to be submitted by May 8, 2020.  The registration form can be filled out online at https://ucnj.org/sheriff/childrens-coloring-and-activity-book-competition/. Entries must be submitted via email in a PDF format to thalpin@ucnj.org, as well as mailed in a printed copy to:

Union County Sheriff’s Office c/o Tara Halpin
10 Elizabethtown Plaza
Elizabeth, NJ 07207

Interested students and residents can learn more about the contest, rules for book entries, and details on the prospective topics at https://ucnj.org/sheriff/childrens-coloring-and-activity-book-competition/, or by contacting Sergeant Tara Halpin at 908-527-4032 or thalpin@ucnj.org.

Union County Sheriff Peter Corvelli joined Undersheriff Dennis Burke in congratulating the Sheriff’s officers who participated in No Shave November and raised $7,820 for The New Jersey Veterans Network, The Prostate Cancer Foundation and the Union County Sheriff’s Officers Tree of Hope. No Shave November challenges participants to forgo shaving for the month in order to raise money for charity. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

At 8:30 a.m. today, the staff at one of the Union County Vocational-Technical schools received information with regard to a potential threat to one of our Vo-Tech schools. The one particular school which was mentioned in the text was immediately placed in lockdown and the additional schools on campus were put in a shelter-in-place. A Sheriff’s Officer, along with an officer from the Union County Police Department who were already on scene, took control of the situation. Additional units from surrounding agencies responded as well to ensure the well-being of all campus students and staff.

An investigation was immediately started and a person of interest was identified. Officers on scene continued their investigation which included a sweep of the premises utilizing the Union County Sheriff’s K-9 unit. A short time thereafter, officers and investigators deemed the threat not credible and it was at this time that the lockdown was lifted at the one school and the shelter in place at the remaining schools was also lifted.

We as a law enforcement community are thankful for the initial reporting of the incident and also encourage individuals if they see or hear something to say something. I am also thankful for the quick response of our law enforcement partners which help keep our community safe day in and day out.

Lastly, I would like to thank the parents and guardians of all students involved for having the patience and understanding during this incident and for placing your trust in us for the safekeeping of your most prized possession, your children.

Peter Corvelli
Union County Sheriff

Union County Freeholder Angela Garretson, Freeholder Sergio Granados, Union County Sheriff Peter Corvelli, Union County Manager Ed Oatman, Deputy County Manager Amy Wagner and county employees joined Rabbi Mordechai Kanelsky and representatives from Bris Avrohom of Hillside to light the menorahs in Phil Rizzuto Park, the Union County Courthouse and the County Administration Building in Elizabeth in celebration of Chanukah. (Photos by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Sheriff’s Office K9 Caesar will receive a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. K9 Caesar’s vest is sponsored by Dr. Julie Tropeano of Lincroft, NJ and will be embroidered with the sentiment “In memory of Mark Hratko”. Delivery is expected within eight to ten weeks.

K9 Caesar is a 2yr old German Shepard, who is certified in patrol and narcotics work and is partnered with Officer Nelson Agurto. Caesar became a member of the Union County Sheriff’s Office in May 2018, began his formal police training in July 2018 and successfully completed training with Officer Agurto in December 2018.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Search and Rescue Unit was formed in 1983 and has provided assistance to County and regional law enforcement agencies for over thirty-five years.  UCSO is home to a regional K9 training academy that has graduated nearly 1000 K9-handler teams in patrol, scent and explosives detection certification. The Unit provides services to all law enforcement agencies in Union County, is a member of the NJ Detect and Render Safe Task Force and regularly assists various Federal agencies in support of their law enforcement efforts.  The UCSO K9 Unit additionally served with distinction in the aftermath of the attacks on 9/11/01, searching at Ground Zero.

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. is a 501c (3) charity located in East Taunton, MA whose mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States. The non-profit was established in 2009 to assist law enforcement agencies with this potentially lifesaving body armor for their four-legged K9 officers. Since its inception, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provided over 3,500 U.S. made, custom fitted, NIJ certified protective vests, in 50 states, through private and corporate donations, at a value of $6.9 million dollars.

The program is open to dogs actively employed in the U.S. with law enforcement or related agencies who are certified and at least 20 months of age. New K9 graduates, as well as K9s with expired vests, are eligible to participate.

The donation to provide one protective vest for a law enforcement K9 is $950.00. Each vest has a value between $1,744 – $2,283 and a five-year warranty, and an average weight of 4-5 lbs. There is an estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s throughout the United States. For more information or to learn about volunteer opportunities, please call 508-824-6978. Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provides information, lists events, and accepts tax-deductible donations of any denomination at www.vik9s.org or mailed to P.O. Box 9 East Taunton, MA 02718.

Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Alexander Mirabella and Freeholder Sergio Granados this morning joined Union County Sheriff Peter Corvelli in congratulating the winners of the Union County Sheriff’s Office 9th Annual Pistol Competition at the Sheriff’s range in Springfield. Officer Richard Brattole of the Union County Sheriff’s Office won first place. Sgt. Sean Dougherty of the Union County Police Department took second place. Lt. Carlo Caparruva of the Union County Sheriff’s Office took third place. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chairman Alexander Mirabella and State Senator Nicholas P. Scutari today joined with members of the various chapters of UNICO District X in holding the 11th Annual Union County Columbus Day Flag Raising event today in Elizabeth. Mirabella and Scutari, the keynote, were among a card of speakers that included Union County Surrogate James LaCorte, Freeholder Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded, and Anthony Bengivenga, the UNICO District X Governor, which represents 8 chapters in Union County.

Bob Bengivenga, the President of Plainfields Unico, led the UNICO prayer. Sheriff Peter Corvelli led the Pledge of Allegiance and the posting of the colors, and Marie Oakie sang “God Bless America.” Others in attendance included Freeholder Sergio Granados, Freeholder Angel Estrada, County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi, Acting Prosecutor Lyndsay Ruotolo, Mountainside Mayor Paul Mirabelli, County Manager Ed Oatman, Deputy County Manager Amy Crisp Wagner, Elizabeth Board of Education members Nathalie Hernandez and Charlene Bathelu

Union County Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski and Freeholders Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded, Andrea Staten and Rebecca Williams joined Union County Deputy County Manager Amy Wagner, Union County Office of Veteran Services Coordinator Janna Williams (USAF), Union County Sheriff’s Captain George Kurz (USAF) and Michael Hrycak (LTC, USA, Ret.) at the 2^nd Annual Union County Networking Mixer for all military veterans and active duty personnel, their families, and veterans’ service providers at the Clubhouse at Galloping Hill Golf Course in Kenilworth.

The event was coordinated through the Union County Office of Veteran Services UC-HERO program. For more information about services contact the Office of Veteran Services Coordinator Janna Williams by phone at 908-527-4918, or email at jwilliams@ucnj.org. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)

Union County Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski, Vice Chairman Alexander Mirabella and Freeholders Sergio Granados and Christopher Hudak joined Union County Sheriff Peter Corvelli, County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi, Union County Surrogate James LaCorte, Acting Prosecutor Lyndsay Ruotolo and Union County Manager Ed Oatman in welcoming Union County Undersheriff Amilcar Colon (SSgt. USMC Ret.) as the guest speaker at the Union County Prisoners of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) Remembrance Day ceremony in Elizabeth. Kenilworth VFW 2230 Commander Robert Jeans delivered the Invocation.

The annual event is sponsored by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders to honor and remember prisoners of war and those missing in action. The National POW/MIA Recognition Day is observed each year on the third Friday of September.

Union County Sheriff Peter Corelli, Undersheriffs Dennis Burke, Amilcar Colon and Jonathan Parham and dozens of Union County Sheriff’s Officers joined Assemblywoman Annette Quijano and local volunteers in making sandwiches for the needy as part of the Assemblywoman’s annual “Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation” food drive at St. Joseph’s Social Service Center in Elizabeth. The event is in partnership with the Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless and the St. Joseph’s Social Service Center. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)