Union County Sheriff's Office
Union County Sheriff Pete Corvelli congratulates to the winners of the Union County Sheriff’s Office 8th Annual Pistol Competition at the Sheriff’s Office range in Springfield. Officer Paul Pereira of the Elizabeth Police Department won first place. Detective Dino Capra of the Union County Police Department took second place. Officer Chris Scudieri of the Union Police Department took third place. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)
On Saturday, October 27 Union County residents with unwanted guns in their possession can turn them in for up to $250 each at either of two locations, in Elizabeth and Plainfield. Anyone turning in a gun may do so anonymously.
“Gun buyback events have safely taken hundreds of guns off the streets and out of our homes and neighborhoods. Buybacks also help raise awareness about the risk of gun violence in our community,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “If you have a gun in your possession that you no longer want, for any reason, I encourage you to participate in the October 27 buyback.”
Gun buybacks are designed to enable anyone to turn in any gun, in any condition, with no questions asked. The program provides for residents to turn in up to three firearms and receive up to $250 for each weapon.
People with guns to turn in can bring them to either the Elizabeth or Plainfield location any time between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 27:
Participants are advised that weapons transported by car must be put in a closed container and kept in the trunk.
To reduce any risk of theft or mishap, participants are also advised to proceed directly to the drop-off location, without making any stops for errands or social calls.
The gun buyback event is supported by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and sponsored by the Union County Prosecutor and the Union County Sheriff with the Union County Division of Police and the police departments of the cities of Elizabeth and Plainfield.
For questions about the buyback event, call the Union County Department of Public Safety at 908-654-9816.
Union County Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados and Freeholders Christopher Hudak and Alexander Mirabella present a resolution to Union County Sheriff’s Investigator Christopher Zamanski commending and congratulating him upon being named “Big of the Year” by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Essex, Hudson and Union Counties. They were joined by Union County Sheriff Peter Corvelli, Undersheriff Mickey Colon and Michele Williers and Gabrielle Lasko from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Essex, Hudson and Union Counties. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)
Union County Sheriff Peter Corvelli joined Undersheriffs Dennis Burke, Mickey Colon and Jonathan Parham in congratulating the graduates of the 2018 Union County Sheriff’s Youth Police Academy during a ceremony at the Rahway High School Performing Arts Center. More than 100 middle and high school students from throughout Union County graduated this year’s program.
Recruits in the youth academy received hands-on experience in a wide variety of emergency services and law enforcement functions and training. During the program, the teens engaged in physical training, attended lectures and through class trips and visits by guest speakers, the recruits met with representatives from several law enforcement agencies.
Sheriff Corvelli also thanks the instructors and the law enforcement agencies who were involving in make the 11th Union County Sheriff’s Youth Academy a success.
Union County Undersheriff Jonathan Parham of Rahway is sworn into office by Union County Vicinage Assignment Judge, the Honorable Karen Cassidy, as his wife Ebony holds the Bible at the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth. Undersheriff Parham, who served the Linden Police Department with distinction for nearly 25 years, serving in each rank from Officer to Captain before his promotion to Chief, joins current Undersheriffs Amilcar Colon and Dennis Burke as the executive management team for Sheriff Peter Corvelli. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)
Sheriff Peter Corvelli announced the appointment of former Linden (NJ) Police Chief Jonathan Parham as an Undersheriff of Union County, effective this Friday.
Undersheriff Parham served Linden with distinction for nearly 25 years, serving in each rank from Officer to Captain before his promotion to Chief on September 1, 2016.
As Police Chief, Parham provided both leadership as well as technological and operational innovations for a nearly 200 employee Police Department.
Parham endured a “baptism by fire” during his first month as Chief when Linden Police Officers encountered and engaged in a protracted shootout with now convicted terrorist Ahmad Rahimi. Chief Parham continued to lead the Department until his retirement in December, 2017.
Sheriff Corvelli stated: “Upon Undersheriff Cryan’s retirement, we conducted an exhaustive search for the next Undersheriff whose vision and leadership aligns with our goals for the Union County Sheriff’s Office. While there were a number of talented candidates, Jon Parham’s name and experience stood above the rest. I am very happy that he will be with my Office as we continue to move forward to provide the type of services that Union County residents expect to receive.”
Undersheriff Parham will be sworn into Office on July 13, 2018 at 3 P.M. in the Courtroom of Union County Vicinage Assignment Judge, the Honorable Karen Cassidy. Undersheriff Parham will join current Undersheriffs Amilcar Colon and Dennis Burke as the executive management team for Sheriff Corvelli.
Today, upon his retirement, the Union County Sheriff’s Office saluted Detective Charles Mancuso with a traditional walkout ceremony on the steps of the Union County Courthouse in Elizabeth. Thank you, Det. Mancuso for your 25 years of service to this office and the people of Union County. We wish you the best of luck in your retirement.
Sheriff Peter Corvelli and Undersheriff Mickey Colon met with some of our Sheriff’s Officers today before they joined with Union County Corrections Officers in the 35th New Jersey Law Enforcement Torch Run in Elizabeth. Statewide more than 3,000 officers took to the streets of their local communities on one of 26 separate routes to help carry the “Flame of Hope” to the Special Olympics New Jersey Summer Games. The Law Enforcement Torch Run raises $3 million annually for Special Olympics New Jersey. (Photos by Jim Lowney/County of Union)
Union County Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados, Vice Chairman Bette Jane Kowalski and Freeholders Bruce H. Bergen and Rebecca Williams joined Union County Sheriff Peter Corvelli and other public officials at the Union County Pride Flag Raising Ceremony event on the steps of the historic Union County Courthouse on Broad Street in Elizabeth. The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders proclaimed June 2018 as Pride Month in Union County. Union County’s Pride Month events are organized by the Office of LGBTQ Services.
Established as part of Chairman Granados’ 2018 Moving Union County Forward initiatives, the Office of LGBTQ Services, is the first County government office of its kind in the State of New Jersey. It provides a platform for leadership and collaboration to support equality, serving as a catalyst for advocacy, awareness and action. For more information about the Office of LGBTQ Services, contact Danni Newbury, coordinator, at 908-527-4742 or dnewbury@ucnj.org or visit ucnj.org/lgbtq.
Union County Sheriff Peter Corvelli announced today that the Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with Penn Medicine Princeton House Behavioral Health, will offer training on traumatic events in the workplace, Peer-to-Peer Counseling, and mental health wellbeing for Officers and Supervisors.
The trainings, led by Princeton House professionals, are the first in their kind in New Jersey offered at a Sheriff’s Office. They are being offered free of charge, in conjunction with the PBA and are voluntary for rank-and-file members (approximately 200 Supervisors and Officers) of the Sheriff’s Office. The trainings are expected to begin in September (on-site at the County complex in Elizabeth), and last two months.
“Union County Supervisors and Officers are the first on scene at many tragic and violent incidents,” said Sheriff Corvelli. “They make decisions in split seconds under stressful conditions in order to protect the citizens and courts of Union County. By offering this training, we hope to help promote balance and enhance the wellbeing of those who protect and serve.”
The trainings, which are being led by Michael Bizzarro, Ph.D., Director of First Responder Treatment Services at Princeton House (and a former Police Officer and military veteran) and Ken Burkert, a retired Union County Corrections Officer who was the State PBA Vice President (and a Chairman of the Peer Assistance Response Team for the PBA), offer tools for officers to help manage stress and trauma of the job.
“The training is also designed to assist officers in identifying signs of stress in their peers. In a group of individuals who always run toward danger to protect others, there is often an inability to notice when troubling events have taken their toll. Our training can help officers detect problems before they become tragedies,” said Dr. Bizzarro.
Mike Heller, Union County Sheriff’s Officer and the Union delegate to the PBA, added:
“This program gives our Officers and Supervisors an important tool in dealing with the stress in their jobs,” said Heller, who is also a member of the Peer Assistance Response team for the PBA, which among its programs, provides a counseling component for its members. “The stress and trauma is a side of the job no one likes to talk about—and having this program which encourages them to talk and share their issues, will not only assist our men and women in their jobs, but in their daily lives and overall mental health.”
First Responder Treatment Services at Penn Medicine Princeton House Behavioral Health provides customized care for law enforcement officers, firefighters, military personnel, EMTs, and other first responders while they are in treatment at Princeton House, an inpatient hospital for those with mental health and substance use disorders. Princeton House intensive outpatient and partial hospital programs also feature trauma tracks for men and women in Princeton, Eatontown, Hamilton, Mooresetown and North Brunswick.