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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: The Next Regular Business Meeting is WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2006, 10:00 AM at the Somerville Elks Club, Route 28 (Union Avenue) Bridgewater, NJ. Jen Electric is picking up the breakfast and lunch tab and will make a presentation on traffic signal maintenance and design and how they can meet the needs of Municipalities and Counties. Board Of Directors: The next meeting is at the call of the President.  PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE: Every now and then we come across a brother officer in need. Elsewhere in this newsletter is information on the plight of Clinton Township Officer Mike Hafke. Please do whatever you can to help our brother officer. Check the Fatal Report on page 2. It’s disheartening to see we are up by 86 bodies. The approaching holidays, increase in travel and drunken driving will drive the body count even higher. It’s long overdue for the Trenton gang to engage in activities to bring the body count down. Forget the “gimmicks” and get us involved in meaningful crash reduction programs rather than spending precious time and money on slogans and worn-out programs. We came a long way with crash investigation courses. Now the frightful fatal stats signal it’s time to extend our training into crash prevention courses. We met with MVC to discuss the “advisory” inspection notices in lieu of rejecting certain failures and the Joint Insurance Fund is paying for the new adult school crossing guard kits. I’ll report on both items at our next meeting. Stay Safe - Bill POLICE ORDER TO STOP MUST BE OBEYED: The NJ Supreme Court ruled that a police officer's order to stop must be obeyed and can only be challenged in court. The Court said even an unconstitutional order cannot be challenged. The 5-2 decision affirmed a conviction of obstructing a public servant from performing his official duties by fleeing. In 2002, the defendant fled Newark police officers acting on a tip about a man with a gun. They encountered him outside a bar. After receiving a dispatcher's description of the gunman, the officers determined the suspect was an exact match. The suspect, caught after a foot chase, had no weapon. Justice Barry Albin wrote a person has no constitutional right to endanger the lives of the police or public by fleeing or resisting a stop, even though a judge may later determine the stop was unsupported by a reasonable and articulable suspicion. The justices ruled the suspect's flight "triggered a dangerous pursuit" by police who thought he had a gun, and that chases could result in death or injury to police or bystanders.  TEEN DRIVERS: Teen drivers crash at about 10 times the rate of adults but a study found that state run graduated driver licensing programs reduce fatal crashes in 16 year old drivers by 20%. States requiring learner's permits for three months lower teen crash rates by 15%. Supervised driving is key. States with 30 or more required hours have 29% fewer deaths for 16 year olds. Having other teens in the vehicle leads to reckless driving. States that don't let new drivers transport young passengers have a 48% lower fatal crash rate in new drivers. States that prevent 16 year olds from getting behind the wheel after midnight reduces fatal crashes by 57%. STANDOFF ON REMOVING DEAD DEER: In order to save $734,000, Governor Corzine stopped paying for the removal of dead deer from local and county roads. But the State Council on Local Mandates says no matter what the state budget calls for, Corzine cannot shift responsibility for collecting dead deer away from NJDOT. Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris and Warren counties say Corzine’s plan is an “unconstitutional unfounded mandate.” D.O.T. estimates local roads account for 70% of NJ’s dead deer and will eliminate their 26 year policy of picking up deer from county and municipal roads but will continue picking them up on state highways. The counties say the state owns the deer “dead or alive.” 
As of Week 43 there were 595 fatalities recorded on NJ roads compared to 509 during the same period in 2005, AN INCREASE OF 86 BODIES.
There were 293 Driver deaths, 111 Passengers, 120 Pedestrians, 56 Motorcycle Drivers, 05 Motorcycle Passengers, and 10 Pedacyclists. There were 595 fatalities in 553 cashes. BROTHER OFFICER IN NEED: Clinton Township Officer Michael Hafke, a member of the NJPTOA, has an illness that will require prolonged and expensive medical treatment. His department and FOP Lodge have a number of fundraisers going to help him and his family. If you would like to help or get further information on the fundraisers go to http://www.michaelhafke.org/. Mike recently returned to Clinton Township Police after serving a tour in Iraq. Aside from whatever you decide to do, check with your local Veteran Organizations and ask for their help as well. The PTOA is eliminating giving out gifts at the December meeting and donating the money to Mike’s fund instead. Let’s do whatever we can to help Mike. ANTI-ROLL TECHNOLOGY: The feds proposed that all new motor vehicles come with anti-roll technology as standard equipment effective in 2009. More than half of SUVs most prone to tipping over already have it. General Motors, Ford and Chrysler said they plan to raise production of electronic stability-control systems over the next few years. NHTSA estimates that will save 5,300 to l0, 300 lives annually. WE THOUGHT IT ONLY HAPPENED IN NJ: According to a recent survey, Miami drivers speed, tailgate and cut off other drivers so frequently that the city earned the title of the worst road rage. The survey also lists Phoenix, New York, Los Angeles and Boston, among the top five cities for rude driving. Minneapolis, Nashville, St. Louis, Seattle and Atlanta were rated as the cities with the most courteous drivers, those who were less likely to change lanes without signaling or swear at other motorists. More than 2,000 adult drivers were asked to rate road rage and rude driving in the surveys. Nearly all said they had talked on a cell phone while driving and 64 percent acknowledged they occasionally drive too fast. 
GOOD & WELFARE: We recently learned of the passing of Det. Tom Fiorenza, retired Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and former PTOA Treasurer. We extend our sincere condolences to his family. We were also informed that Sgt. Karl Massey, retired Paramus PD and former Region 1 Vice President, had heart by-pass surgery. As of this writing he is recovering at home and the prognosis is good. Lt. Dick Pearson retired Harrington PD and Former Region 1 Representative, A.K.A. “Boss Tweed,” enriched his political career and is a big shot councilman in Merrill, New York. Where is Merrill? Somewhere in the Adirondack’s. He also operates an XMAS Tree Farm and is involved in bringing wind technology to his part of the state. LAST CHANCE: CPS Safe Kids renewal class on 12/11/06 at the Somerset County Academy. This could be the last renewal class as Safe Kids and NHTSA have not made provisions for this class in 2007. Contact Ed Barnes at 908-782-8889 – email: barnes@raritantwppolice.org. 
ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SAFETY BELT AND BULLETPROOF VEST SUPPORT OUR TROOPS IN THE ARMED SERVICES Next Meeting November 1 - Free Breakfast & Lunch - Somerville Elks Club |