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75 Martine Avenue, Fanwood, NJ 07023 - 908/322-7773 FAX - 908-322-2200 or 908-889-6359 Safety Wings | Tony Parenti , Editor MEETING NOTICES: Board Of Directors: The next meeting is on January 25, 2006 beginning at 11:00 am at the John H. Stamler Police Academy. If you need directions call 908-889-6112 or NJPTOA Office 908-322-7773. Next Regular Business Meeting: The Next Regular Business Meeting is WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2006, 10:00 AM at The Somerville Elks Club, Route 28 (Union Avenue) Bridgewater, NJ.  RADAR TUNING FORK INFORMATION: NJ Weights & Measures will test and certify Radar Tuning Forks at our February (for departments A through M) and March (departments N through Z) 2006 meetings. To expedite the process they ask all tuning forks be sorted by miles per hour in banded bundles, list each fork on their invoice including miles per hour and serial number, have your department's purchase order entirely filled out including the mailing address section along with a copy of their invoice. Remember they raised the price for testing radar tuning forks from $5.00 to $10.00 per fork. Any questions or comments call 732-815-4851 and speak with Supervisor Anthony Neri or 732-815-4859 and speak with someone from his staff. IT PAYS TO BUCKLE UP & WEAR BULLETPROOF VEST: A recent FBI report shows 139 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in 2004, 7 more than in 2003. Of that number, 48 died from motor vehicle-related incidents. This is excluding 13 more deaths involving vehicles in assault-by-auto incidents. This is why police must always be alert and develop good driving habits. By simply wearing your safety belt and bulletproof vest you can easily prevent many injuries, and even death. There are a number of cases where the vest helped prevent chest injury. Another factor is driver emotion. When dispatched to certain calls officers want to get there as quickly as possible. But if they don't drive carefully, they risk getting into a crash and possibly injuring or even killing themselves. It's better to get there a few seconds later than not get there at all. 
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE: I represented the Association at a MVC hearing on new regulations for auto dealers. I supported the regulations because they prohibit Used Car Dealers who use space in a warehouse to operate their "Fly by Night" operations. The regulations also will help clean up some of the problems we have temporary registrations. Someone asked, 'If a New Jersey registered vehicle garaged in NJ has to have a NJ insurance card or will an insurance card from another state cover the vehicle.' I contacted the N.J. Division of Insurance and they gave me a copy of the regulations. Answer: Drivers need an Insurance Card issued in NJ with our Insurance code for the company. Apparently a number of local prosecutors and judges do not realize this and are accepting out of state insurance cards. Two Supreme Court Cases were recently decided. They are companion cases dealing with auto searches after arrest. The NJ Supreme Court ruled that our Constitution holds stricter rules for searches involving auto searches. In both cases the police arrested and took the occupants of vehicles in custody and then conducted a search of the passenger area. In deciding the case the Court said that 'no officers were in danger, they controlled the vehicle, and there was no threat of evidence being destroyed.' Bottom line; police have to obtain a search warrant. I asked Chief Verry to Chair the Education & Seminar Committees, he has agreed. I appointed Father Estes as Chaplin for the Association and Ret. Lt .Joe Cofone as Association historian. Stay Safe - Bill. MEMBERSHIP DUES: The 2006 membership dues per department remain at $35.00. Bills were included in the January 2006 newsletter. If you have not already done so, please process payment as soon as possible. Thanks. A copy of the NJPTOA "Business Registration Certificate" was included last year with the January 2005 newsletter. Anyone still needing a certificate or a bill may contact Ginny at 908-322-7773.  As of Week 49, 2005 , there were 668 fatalities recorded on NJ roads compared to 608 during the same period in 2004 AN INCREASE OF 60 BODIES. .
As of this report, there were 346 driver deaths, 122 passengers, 133 pedestrians, 49 motorcycle drivers, 02 Motorcycle passengers, and 15 pedacyclists. There were 668 fatalities in 619 cashes NJ TOPS TRAFFIC COPS 1ST ANNAUL AWARDS KICKOFF: NHTSA Representative Chief Ed Patrini announced the following: The New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police has launched the ‘Chiefs Challenge’ in search of the New Jersey ”Top Traffic Cop” police agency for 2005. The traffic awards program is modeled after the IACP Law Enforcement Challenge where police agencies are judged for traffic safety activities accomplished during the year and in selected categories for their size department. The “Top Cop” agencies will be announced in Spring 2006. ‘Chiefs Challenge’ sponsors have donated prizes and gift certificates totaling several thousand dollars. All submitted applications will be forwarded to the IACP for consideration in the National Law Enforcement Challenge with an opportunity to be selected as one of the nations “Top Traffic Cop” agencies. Both levels of judging will be done by one single application form. Applications and agency assistance in completing the application are available by contacting NJSACOP Chief Ed Petrini at 609-381-0800. Applications are due at the NJ Chiefs Office no later than April 15, 2006. “Traffic Enforcement is Law Enforcement” 
ENHANCED INSPECTION STICKERS: The NJ Motor Vehicle Commission enhanced the Inspection Sticker starting with the 2008 approval sticker. Notable changes include: A bar code containing the inspection sticker serial number at the bottom left of the sticker; Micro printing under the year in the top left corner of the sticker, specifically under the "20" of the year (this micro printing forms a line under the 20 - the line under the "08" part of the year is not micro printing); Micro printing forms the border around the month number. All micro printing reads "MOTOR VEHICLE COMMISSION" all micro printing is in CAPS. Text on the back includes four sentences in ALL CAPS with a check mark at the start of the sentence. MVC began issuing the enhanced sticker in November 2005. The color of the 2008 sticker is yellow. MAN WITH BONG ATTACKS POLICE DISPATCHER: A 22-year-old Wisconsin man was wrestled to the ground by police after threatening a dispatcher with a glass bong and a shotgun. The man walked into police headquarters and handed a threatening note to the dispatcher. As she read the note he threw a glass bong at the bulletproof glass. The bong shattered but the window didn't. Figuring he needed something stronger he pulled out a shotgun but three officers using a Taser and Pepper Spray were able to subdue him. The man had been arrested several times in the past on burglary, disorderly conduct and drug charges. THE WAY THEY DO IT IN TENNESSEE: Drivers convicted of Drunk Driving in Tennessee are required to do 24 hours of roadside cleanup while wearing orange vests with "I am a Drunk Driver" printed on the vests. Legislators who favor the new law say the embarrassment of having to do the cleanup and wear the sign "that they're never going to want to go through that again." Some drunks say the embarrassment will then make them feel worse and "may drink more and more." The Governor and various experts call this "an expensive and bad idea." 
SAVE THIS DATE: The NJ State Association of Chiefs of Police will hold the next Police Security Expo on June 20 and 21, 2006 at the Atlantic City Convention Center. As usual the NJPTOA will meet at the Convention Center on June 21. More information will follow in future NJPTOA Newsletters. MORE INFO ON THE ALCOTEST 7110: Not withstanding the hearings on the reliability of the Alcotest, the state Supreme Court ordered judges to accept its results as evidence in prosecuting DWI cases. The Court also said convictions with evidence from the Alcotest should be put on hold until the Supreme Court rules on the reliability of the machine. This lifts the freeze on hundreds of drunk driving prosecutions that were put on hold after defense lawyers said they have seen erroneous readings of BAC in many Alcotest cases. BEYOND THE TRAFFIC TICKET: A man driving without wearing his safety belt on Route 46 in Denville sure wished he had. After police pulled him over they found 200 bags of heroin and 6 bags of crack-cocaine. They arrested the driver and three passengers for possession with intent to distribute. Yes, the driver was also charged with not wearing a safety belt. ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SAFETY BELT AND BULLETPROOF VEST SUPPORT OUR TROOPS IN THE ARMED SERVICES WE WISH YOU AND YOURS A HEALTHY & HAPPY NEW YEAR |