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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: Next Regular Business Meeting: WEDNESDAY, February 7, 2007, 10:00 AM, at the Somerville Elks Club, Route 28 (Union Avenue) Bridgewater, NJ. Stalker Radar is sponsoring the coffee and at this meeting. Board Of Directors: The next meeting is at the call of the President.  PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE: As I said at our last meeting I would like to emphasize the importance of training for traffic officers. I am appointing a new Training Committee Chairperson and charging that person to deliver meaningful courses that we can offer our members at little or no cost. As you can see we did not do too good with the roadway fatal body count in 2006. Now this is a new year so let’s make it the beginning of bringing the body count down. We can do this by enforcing all traffic laws and eliminating hazardous roadway conditions. I am giving top priority to making NJ roadways safer and to help accomplish this I will bring meaningful crash preventative courses to our state. Remember to have your Radar Tuning Forks tested and certified – you’ll find information on this elsewhere in this newsletter. STAY SAFE - Bill MEMBERSHIP DUES: The 2007 membership dues remain at $35.00 per department. 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 with the January 2005 newsletter. Anyone still needing a certificate or a bill may contact Ginny at 908-322-7773. NEWS ON THE ALCOTEST 7110: State v. Chun is the case that will ultimately determine if the Alcotest 7110 is sufficiently reliable to be used in New Jersey’s municipal courts in drunk driving prosecutions. Muni-mail can now report that the presentation of proofs in the Chun case before the special master, Judge King, concluded on December 19th. Judge King has scheduled summations for January 9th and 10th with the January 11th reserved for additional argument if necessary. The defense will argue first, followed by the Attorney General and the attorneys who have appeared as amicus curiae. Following the argument, Judge King will have 30 days to submit his report of recommended factual findings to the Supreme Court. This should occur on or about February 10th. The briefs of counsel will be due in the Supreme Court two weeks thereafter (approximately February 24th). The Justices will schedule oral argument following the receipt of the briefs.  SCHOOL BUS CRASHES UP 25%: A new study shows school-bus-related crashes send 17,000 U.S. children to emergency rooms each year. Nearly one-fourth of the crashes occur when children are boarding or leaving school buses, while crashes account for 42%. Slips and falls on buses, getting jostled when on buses, and injuries from roughhousing are among some other ways kids get hurt on school buses, the study found. Injuries range from cuts and sprains to broken bones. The results provide a strong argument for requiring safety belts on school buses, something industry groups say is unnecessary and is more than many school districts can afford. MEETING CANCELLATION INFORMATION: We try not to cancel Business Meetings unless conditions are so dangerous that traffic officers must remain at their departments to handle whatever problems may arise. If we cancel a meeting due to bad weather, or for any other reason, we will post the cancellation notice on the Police Network by 0600 on the date of the meeting and on our website. We also will try to get it on 101.5 radio. Always check, particularly during inclement weather. MOTORIZED SCOOTER: A bill allowing disabled people to operate Motorized Scooters on a public road passed the legislature and awaits the Governor’s signature. The bill requires drivers to display a handicapped sticker, wear a helmet, and have insurance. They are restricted to roadways with speed limits of 25-35 mph, and they cannot travel faster than 15 mph. As of Week 52 there were 766 fatalities recorded on NJ roads compared to 747 during the same period in 2005, AN INCREASE OF 19 BODIES.
There were 366 Driver deaths, 148 Passengers, 167 Pedestrians, 68 Motorcycle Drivers, 05 Motorcycle Passengers, and 12 Pedacyclists. There were 766 fatalities in 707 cashes. 
RADAR TUNING FORK CERTIFICATION NFORMATION: NJ Weights & Measures will test and certify Radar Tuning Forks at our February meeting for departments A through M and at the March meeting for departments N through Z. 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 to speak with Supervisor Anthony Neri or 732-815-4859 to speak with someone from his staff. DWI REPORT: A recent publication says although NHTSA has made alcohol programs a high priority and put a major part of its budget toward alcohol programs, the ten year trend in alcohol-related fatalities is virtually unchanged. They suggest NHTSA either needs to change its approach or redirect its funding and priorities toward other areas where it may be more successful (something our President has been advocating for some time). 
SOME STUFF FROM PREVIOUS MEETING: Our by-laws will be posted on our website (NJPTOA.COM). Check NJSAFEROADS.com for latest information on Highway Safety Grants. Next Click-It-Or-Ticket program is May 21 to June 1 – Speeding crackdown the entire month of July – DWI Campaign is August 17 through September 3. This year’s theme is “Over the limit – Under Arrest.” Guth Labs is no longer producing Ampoules for the 900 Breathalyzer. Dalt Tech in Canada has an ample supply that is being tested for quality. If they check out OK you may purchase the ampoules from them. Contact NJSP for more information. Progressive Insurance Company is assessing 20 Insurance Points to motorists pleading guilty to 39:4-97.2. TO BEE OR NOT TO BEE: Scientists state they trained bees to sniff out explosives in a project they say could have far-reaching applications for U.S. homeland security and local law enforcement. Officials at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico said they trained honeybees to stick out their proboscis, which is the tube they use to feed on nectar, when they smell explosives. Researchers dubbed the Stealthy Insect Sensor Project, published their findings last month. By exposing the insects to the odor of explosives followed by a sugar water reward, researchers said they trained bees to recognize substances ranging from dynamite and C-4 plastic explosives to the Howitzer propellant grains used in improvised explosive devices in Iraq. 
ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SAFETY BELT AND BULLETPROOF VEST SUPPORT OUR TROOPS IN THE ARMED SERVICES Next Meeting February 7 – Somerville Elks Club |