Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Police Chiefs Offer College Scholarships to Graduating Sussex County Seniors Pursuing Criminal Justice
ATTENTION GRADUATING SENIORS
The Sussex County Association of Chiefs of Police is pleased to announce that we will be offering two (2) $500.00 scholarships to seniors graduating from a Sussex County high school who are enrolling in college programs leading to degrees in criminal justice, police science, law enforcement or similar academic study. The scholarships will be awarded to one female and to one male in Sussex County. Children of members of the Association are ineligible.
Criteria to determine awardees will be based on students’ demonstrated academic ability, participation in extracurricular and/or community service activities, leadership, achievements, teacher recommendations, career objectives and financial need. Scholarships will be awarded without regard to race, creed, national origin or religious affiliation.
Download the SCHOLARSHIP LETTER that is addressed to high school seniors.
Download the SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION
All applications must be submitted by May 15, 2016.
Sunday, March 13, 2016
Program to combat drug addiction introduced
Program to combat drug addiction introduced [ http://clearprogram.org/ ]
Photo by Tracy Klimek/New Jersey Herald - Sussex County Prosecutor Francis Koch speaks to a crowd outside Newton Police Department on Friday March 11, 2016, announcing the official start of the CLEAR Program (Community Law Enforcement Addiction Recovery).
Posted: Mar. 13, 2016 12:01 am
NEWTON -- The county's new collaborative effort in fighting back against the opiate epidemic was officially introduced to the public Friday afternoon.
The C.L.E.A.R., or Community Law Enforcement Addiction Recovery, program is a coalition of like-minded agencies in Sussex County that are committed to improving prevention, education, outreach and enforcement in the fight to save lives afflicted by drug addiction.
At a press conference in front of the municipal building, Newton Police Chief Michael Richards said the C.L.E.A.R. program was "posed to be a vehicle to make a difference."
"There's no easy solution to complicated problems," Richards said. "But the Sussex County C.L.E.A.R. program has a very proactive and collaborative approach that I believe can be more effective because we're working together. This approach is hopeful."
Working with the Newton Police Department in introducing the new program were the Center for Prevention and Counseling, the Sussex County Prosecutor's Office, Newton Medical Center, the Sussex County Police Chiefs Association and the Sussex County Department of Human Services, along with support from local and state government officials.
In reading the program's mission statement, Richards said, "The mission of the Sussex County C.L.E.A.R. program is to form a collaborative network of professionals in our community who will facilitate medical intervention, improved access to treatment and recovery support for those struggling with drug addiction who seek assistance, without fear of arrest or prosecution, in order to make a positive difference in the quality of life for individuals, families and our entire community."
Sussex County Prosecutor Francis Koch said his hope was that people addicted to drugs could take advantage of the program and seek help prior to becoming caught up in the criminal justice system.
"This program is a rebirth in our county for people seeking recovery," Koch said. "The program is an exciting start for Sussex County in its fight against addiction."
Koch said the county has "been long affected by the disease of addiction."
"We also have to learn to accept the fact that addiction can affect anyone," he said. "It knows no economic, education, geographic, racial or age discrimination. There is none. Who is the face of addiction? The face of addiction is anyone."
Koch detailed the county's use of Narcan -- the life-saving antidote that counteracts a drug overdose -- and said he believed Sussex County was the only county in the whole state where "every single police department volunteers" to participate in administering it.
Since 2014, Koch said, there have been more than 60 deployments -- 17 this year alone -- of Narcan in the county. Yet, even with Narcan, Koch said there have been over 45 overdose deaths since 2014-- four in 2016 already -- in Sussex County.
Rachel Wallace, director of clinical services at the Center for Prevention and Counseling, said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has labeled the prescription drug and heroin problem in the United States an epidemic, which "is a word they do not use lightly."
"We need to do more to assist those who need to access treatment," Wallace said, "and that is one of the goals of the Sussex County C.L.E.A.R. initiative."
In New Jersey, 47 percent of those seeking treatment are doing so for addiction to prescription medication or heroin, Wallace said. In Sussex County, that number jumps to over 60 percent of people who identify opiates as their primary drug of choice, she said.
"We might be smaller and more rural than other areas, but we're effected equally by the devastation of this epidemic," Wallace said. "Opioid addiction permeates every town in this county. It's imperative that we continue to educate the public about addiction and substance-abuse disorders."
Wallace said research shows that additional support, such as social, emotional, spiritual and recreational opportunities, demonstrate that sustained recovery is possible.
"We believe in the individual's ability to recover, absolutely," Wallace said. "It simply starts with someone asking for help, and the Sussex County C.L.E.A.R. initiative is here to offer that help. We stand before you with that hope that the Sussex County C.L.E.A.R. initiative will have an exponential impact on our community. Increasing access to treatment without consequences is key to engaging those addicted in the treatment they so desperately need and deserve. Every life is worth saving."
Wallace said support and volunteers are needed to make the program viable.
"This community problem needs a community solution," Wallace said, "and we believe C.L.E.A.R. is the answer we've all been looking for."
Becky Carlson, executive director of the Center for Prevention and Counseling, announced the launch of the program's new website where volunteers can fill out an application to become a certified recovery coach or people can donate money to help the initiative.
Richards told the gathered crowd that Newton Medical Center had donated $7,500 to help launch the C.L.E.A.R. initiative.
Joseph DiPaolo, president of Newton Medical Center, said the hospital was very excited to participate in the new program.
"This (program) is an example of how collaboration have been able to piece together something that will be truly innovative," DiPaolo said.
Carlson introduced a young woman named Katie Calvacca who had recently been hired by the Center for Prevention and Counseling to be a part-time employee and full-time advocate for the recovery coach academy.
Calvacca told the crowd that she had 71/2 years of long-term recovery, meaning she had abstained from alcohol or drugs completely during that time.
She told the story of how recovery has offered her a chance to have a full, rewarding life.
"I've been able to just become me," Calvacca said of her recovery. "I'm living proof that change is possible. As members of society, we need to be able to foster that change in our community, and that is exactly what the C.L.E.A.R. program is all about."
Richards concluded the announcement by simply saying, "We're going to need your help."
For more information about the program, to learn how to become a recovery coach or to donate, visit clearprogram.org.
David Danzis can also be contacted on Twitter: @ddanzisNJH, or by phone: 973-383-1274.
http://www.njherald.com/article/20160313/ARTICLE/303139959
Friday, March 11, 2016
New program intended to combat drug epidemic
New program intended to combat drug epidemic
Photo by Tracy Klimek/New Jersey Herald - Newton Police Chief Michael Richards and Becky Carlson, executive director of the Center for Prevention and Counseling, talk about launching a new program called C.L.E.A.R., Community Law Enforcement Addiction Recovery, on Wednesday in Newton.
Posted: Mar. 11, 2016 12:01 am
NEWTON -- Officials representing several Sussex County professional organizations are forming a coalition in an effort to combat the ongoing drug epidemic.
A press conference is scheduled for noon today at the Newton Municipal Building to announce C.L.E.A.R., or Community Law Enforcement Addiction Recovery. The public is welcome to attend.
Newton Police Chief Michael Richards and Becky Carlson, executive director of the Center for Prevention and Counseling, outlined plans for the program with the Herald on Wednesday.
Richards and Carlson said they have support from the Sussex County Prosecutor's Office, Newton Medical Center, local law enforcement and legislators.
The program seeks to find new ways to aid those who are struggling with addiction. C.L.E.A.R. will focus on education, outreach, prevention and enforcement.
Richards noted his department's implementation of Narcan, the life-saving antidote that counteracts opiate overdoses. The problem, Richards said, is what happens after the police save someone's life.
"A lot of times, what's missing is follow-up," Richards said. "We saved your life -- now what?"
C.L.E.A.R. seeks to find an answer to that question.
Richards said the goal is to include "like-minded" people throughout the county who have a stake in the fight against opiates and the effects the drug are having on communities. The group behind C.L.E.A.R. has been meeting monthly since October to put together a program that is tailored toward the issues specific to Sussex County.
"What we found was that each of these entities was fighting the same problem, but we weren't really communicating each other," Richards said.
In their first few meetings, Carlson said she realized that people who had been admitted to the hospital after receiving a dose of Narcan would leave and not know where to turn.
To help with that issue, the Center for Prevention and Counseling created a pamphlet specifically for hospital staff and law enforcement to give to those who are seeking addiction services but don't know where to start.
"From that very first meeting, we had something happen just by all of us connecting and talking to each other," Carlson said.
Carlson said her goal is to involve volunteers who have firsthand knowledge of drug addiction. These recovery coaches will take part in 30 hours of training to standardize a method of helping those who are fighting for their lives. Some of those volunteers will include drug court alumni and other people with personal experience in dealing with drug addiction, Carlson said.
C.L.E.A.R. is modeled after a similar program known as P.A.A.R.I., or Police Assisted Addiction and Recovery Initiative, that has been implented with success in Massachusetts and other areas.
David Danzis can also be contacted on Twitter: @ddanzisNJH, or by phone: 973-383-1274.
Monday, March 7, 2016
NEWTON (NJ) POLICE DEPARTMENT DEPLOYS BODY-WORN CAMERAS
NEWTON (NJ) POLICE DEPARTMENT DEPLOYS BODY-WORN CAMERAS
PRESS RELEASE DATE: March 7, 2016
The Newton Police Department will begin using body-worn cameras today. Funding for purchase of this new equipment was sought by Chief Michael Richards and approved by the Newton Town Council in the 2015 capital budget. After an extensive review of various manufacturers, L3 Mobile-Vision’s “BodyVision” cameras were selected by the department.
The cameras cost approximately $1200 each, which incorporates costs for increasing our data storage capacity and installing related equipment. The new body-worn cameras integrate with our current patrol car video recording system, which is also a product of L3 Mobile-Vision. This helped reduce the expense of deploying this new technology.
The department also received a $4,245.83 grant from the Town’s insurer, the Statewide Insurance Fund, to offset costs, and the department also applied for and received $11,000 from the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety Body-Worn Camera Assistance Program.
Every Officer in the department, a total of 25 which includes our three Class II Special Law Enforcement Officers, has been assigned their own camera and each of the cameras’ recordings will be identified as belonging to the Officer so assigned. The body-worn cameras will be worn by all uniformed Officers responsible for performing patrol duties. Generally, video and audio recording will be activated when responding to an emergency or other call for service as well as during Officer initiated enforcement activities. All Officers have received training in procedures that are consistent with the directive of the New Jersey Attorney General, which promotes uniformity and best practices in using the devices.
The cameras do not deploy any special audio or video capabilities. They do not see or hear any more than an Officer can. Designed to be mounted to each Officer’s uniform in the area of their chest, the devices will significantly improve an Officer’s ability to document evidence and statements made during an emergency, a call for service or a criminal investigation. A photo of the body-worn camera as worn by an Officer has been posted to our website www.newtonpolice.org and is included with this announcement.
Since the Department began using in-car cameras in patrol cars in 1999, Officers have become accustomed to their use and they have proven to be indispensable as evidence. The use of body-worn cameras will prove particularly valuable for Officers who are on foot patrol or bike patrol, who in the past were unable to benefit from recording units only installed in patrol cars. Patrol car recording systems are also limited to audio only up to a certain distance from the vehicle, which often times was insufficient once an Officer is inside a building.
Deploying body-worn cameras represents the Police Department’s commitment to utilize best practices and the latest technology, most cost effectively, to improve police services. It is also expected to help improve Officer training and performance. Where body-worn cameras have been used elsewhere, they have also shown to prevent, reduce and more quickly resolve citizen complaints. This will help maintain our outstanding relationship with those we serve, help strengthen our accountability and continue to build public trust.
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