NMPD Gets a New Look

The New Milford Police Department is getting a new look. Residents may have noticed the four new black and white police cars parked behind Borough Hall over the past couple of weeks.

These cars were purchased from the police department’s regular budget and replace vehicles that were no longer up to the challenge of daily police work.

“These are replacement vehicles because the older cars were no longer fit for frontline duty,” said New Milford Police Chief Frank Papapietro. “More and more local departments are going to the black and white look which is being standardized around the county.”

Papapietro said Bergen County feels the black and white vehicles are more recognizable than the all white vehicles and departments around the county are synching up their look. 

“Two of the vehicles are almost ready to go, we are just waiting on miscellaneous parts for the radios and computers in the vehicles,” said Papapietro.

Those two vehicles have already received their paint and brand new NMPD logos. 

“The seal that is featured on the new police vehicles now reflects the uniform patches that the officers wear,” said Papapietro. The chief said Sgt. Frank Ramaci led the redesign effort for the department.

“Sgt. Ramaci had several design options and worked to get a consensus among the officers as to which design they liked best,” said Papapietro. Borough resident Peter Rebsch, the owner of CNR Products, which produces signs, fabrication, engravings and cut-out logos, produced the logos for the department.

The department was also able to establish a partnership with the Bergen County Vocational Technical Schools to update the look of the rest of the vehicles in the NMPD fleet.

“The students at Bergen Vo-Tech will be painting the rest of the vehicles to match the newest vehicles,” said Papapietro. “Sgt. Ramaci worked out this partnership and all the department has to supply is the paint and the students will be painting the vehicles black and white to match the fleet.”

NMPD Sgt. Thomas Johnson and Police Officer Francis Haggerty are working to coordinate the equipment swap required from the older vehicles to the new units. Lt. Bruce Raffo is also assisting with this effort by handling computer issues for the new vehicles.