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MEETING NOTICES:  Board Of Directors: The  next meeting is at the call of the president.

Regular  Business Meeting: WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2001 – 10:00 AM at the Somerville  Elks Club, Route 28 (Union Avenue) Bridgewater, NJ. Sgt. Riker, NJSP,  was unable to make it to our last meeting. Hopefully his schedule will  permit him to be at the January meeting and distribute the Law Enforcement  Agencies Telephone directories.

FIRST A  TWINKLE THEN A STAR A STAR IS BORN:

Harrison  Traffic Officer, Lt. Charles Trucillo, was assigned to traffic duty  when over 13,000 people showed up for try-outs for the Sopranos TV show.  Charlie, with a twinkle in his eye, said he went there to work that  day but put his photo in at the advice of his wife when she said "you  look Italian." Charlie did capture a role in the show as a security  guard but after they discovered his real talent, they gave him a part  of a police officer. Although he likes to mingle with the crowd at the  local Dunkin Donuts shop, his part in the show will take place in a  pizzeria. He has seven lines in the show and he handled them in just  one take. As for the future, Charlie says he is considering taking acting  lessons and he may be asked back for more roles. But, he also says,  "I'm not quitting my job." Anyway, judging from the photograph  and his part in the show, he will always have a future as a pizza man!  Autographs are in order after his debut.

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LEGISLATIVE  STUFF : Copies of proposed legislation are available at our meetings.

Introductions:  A-1851 Codey – Prohibits children under 12 from riding in front seat  of vehicle with passenger side airbag. S-1853 Lesniak – Requires certain  children to wear helmets when operating scooters. S-1854 Lesniak – Requires  driver to sound horn when stopped for frozen desert truck. S-1863 Zane  – Prohibits persons arrested for DWI from driving 24 hours after their  arrest; provides for enhanced penalties. S-1867 Bennett – Requires cell  phone use to be noted in traffic accidents. S-1885 Bucco – Requires  license suspension until age 21 for student who causes school disruption  requiring make-up-day. S-1895 Vitale – Reduces blood alcohol level at  which a person is considered to be guilty of drunk driving from .10%  to .08%. A-2949 – Connors – Authorizes naval combat service license  plates. A-2950 Holzapfel – Includes inhalant "propylnitrite"  as intoxication drug under drunk driving statute. A-2951 Previta – Authorizes  special license plates for ex-prisoners of war. A-2959 Holzapfel – Reduces  blood alcohol concentration level for drunk driving conviction to .08  and changes penalty for first offense. A-2966 Quigley – Entitles certain  family members to copies of DMV notices concerning re-testing.

NEWS FROM  HIGHWAY SAFETY POLICY ADVISORY COUNCIL: There is a concern with  crossing guards standing in the middle of the roadway directing traffic.  Statutes only permit crossing guards to cross children, they are not  authorized to direct traffic. The Council request police officers to  correct guards whenever they see them directing traffic. The Council  is watching a pedestrian program started in Roselle entitled "Walk  Your Children to School Day." The Department of Transportation  formed a pedestrian task force to study pedestrian safety in New Jersey.  There is an indication pedestrian knockdowns are actually going down  although fatalities are up in NJ. New Jersey is still among the highest  in the nation for pedestrian fatalities. We sit somewhere around 26%  while the national average is about 13 – 16%. DOT says the 1998 – 1999  information on auto crashes is in the database. They are now in a position  to produce reports from this base and supply information to agencies.  Printouts will be available shortly. Specific requests can go to Steve  Warren at 609-530-3454. The Department of Education reports there is  a shortage of school bus drivers thus requiring children to ride to  school in vehicles, in buses, or if they live within 2 miles from the  school they must walk.

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As of December 14, 2000, there  were 674 fatalities recorded on NJ roads compared to 677 during the  same period in 1999, A DECREASE OF 5 BODIES . The following  are deaths by county.

During this period, there were  360-driver deaths, 131-passengers, 135-pedestrians, 37-motorcycle driver,  04-motorcycle passenger, and 07-pedacyclists. There were 674 fatalities  in 612 crashes.

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RESCISSION  OF EXPIRED INSPECTION STICKERS:Last year, when the  state inspection fiasco was going on, Attorney General John Farmer issued  an order on January 24, 2000 that prohibited use of an expired inspection  sticker as the primary reason to stop a motor vehicle unless the sticker's  expiration date is November, 1999 or earlier. The order also said not  to issue a summons for an expired inspection sticker to motorists stopped  for another reason and exhibit an expired inspection sticker unless  the sticker's expiration date is November, 1999 or earlier, if the sticker's  expiration date is December, 1999 or later, or the motorist does not  have a valid extension card issued by the Division of Motor Vehicles.  Now that the inspection system seems to be working, the Attorney General  rescinded this order on October 30, 2000.

DUES  FOR 2001 NOW DUE: The yearly membership  dues are still $25.00 per department. Please prepare a voucher, purchase  order, write a check, or do whatever other means you use to pay dues.  Bills are included in this newsletter. Thank you.

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RADAR  TUNING FORKS:Radar tuning forks will be tested by the NJ Division of Weights  and Measures for departments A through M at our February 7, 2001 meeting  and for departments N through Z at the March 7, 2001 meeting. Please  keep your tuning forks together by rubber band or in a large envelope.  Also bring along a blank department letterhead, a self addressed envelope,  a purchase order or voucher. The cost is $5.00 per fork and made payable  to NJ Division of Weights and Measures. If either meeting has to be  canceled for any reason, the tests will be done at the following meeting.  Details will be in the newsletter.

MEETING  CANCELLATIONS:Normally we try not  to cancel our business meetings unless conditions are dangerous or in  the event traffic officers are required to remain at their departments  to handle whatever problem may be at hand. If we have to cancel a meeting  due to bad weather, we will have the cancellation notice on the police  network by 0600 on the date of the meeting. Always check the network  during inclement weather.

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START  OFF THE NEW YEAR RIGHT

ALWAYS  WEAR YOUR BULLET PROOF VEST AND SAFETY BELTS

ENJOY A SAFE  AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR

NEXT  MEETING, WEDNESDAY JANUARY 3, 2001 - 10:00 AM

ELKS CLUB, ROUTE 28,  BRIDGEWATER, NJ

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NEW JERSEY POLICE TRAFFIC OFFICERS ASSOCIATION
75 N. Martine Ave. Fanwood, NJ 07023
908.322.7773
908.322.2200 (FAX) ~or~ 908.889.6359 (FAX)

Copyright 2001; Content - N.J.P.T.O.A.