Assault Weapons, Mortar Shell Collected at Bergen Gun Buyback

Program pays out more than $100,000 for unwanted weapons at locations across Bergen County.

Bergen County's weekend gun buyback collected 1,345 firearms, including 10 assault weapons, along with thousands of rounds of ammunition and a mortar shell, officials said Tuesday.  Sheriff Michael Saudino displayed the two-day program's haul, from antiques to automatic weapons, during a press conference in Hackensack. Saudino hailed the program as a way to boost safety in the county, but said he would continue working to prevent gun violence.  “As we’ve seen far too many times, gun violence – whether intentional or accidental – destroys lives," the sheriff said. "While this initiative was a great step in getting unwanted firearms off our streets and out of our homes, we’ll continue to find ways to curb gun violence and protect our …

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RidgewoodResident

8:06 pm on Thursday, April 18, 2013

And they really are "tax" dollars, because they could have saved them for another day, thereby lowering the revenue the department would need to have to bring in.   more ›

Bergen County Chief Defends Role of County Cops

Specialized agencies within the Bergen County Police Department provide a vital support system and cost savings to municipalities, Chief says.

Lucy Heller, president of the Bergen County League of Women Voters, told the crowd Tuesday night that the League sponsored "information session" on the services provided by the Bergen County Police appeared to be one-sided because it was. "Like PBS, sometimes it's important to tell the untold story," she said. "If citizens aren't aware of the services provided, then they can't make informed choices." And that is what Bergen County Chief of Police and Director of Public Safety, Brian Higgins, set out to do--inform the audience of the specialized services his department provides to the 70 municipalities in Bergen County. With a panel that included New Milford Police Chief Frank Papapietro, Chairman of Mutual Aid for the Bergen County Chiefs …

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Police Pipes and Drums of Bergen County Kick Off 20th Anniversary Celebration

Three day celebration brings in pipe bands from Boston, Chicago, Cleveland and New York, and welcomes the return of the "Icebreaker."

Sergeant Kenny Porrino, a detective in the Fort Lee Police Department and a resident of New Milford, has been a member of the Police Pipes and Drums of Bergen County since its inception in 1992. "We've never put together something as large as this event," Porrino said. "Nothing on a scale like this." Porrino, now a Drum Sgt. and Vice President of the band, recounted the band's origins 20 years ago when Drum Major Mike Conway (ret. Fort Lee Police) and George Kellinger (ret. detective Bergen County Sheriff Dpt.), both volunteer Fort Lee firefighters, had the idea to start a pipe and drum band in memory of their friend, Doug Connell. Connell, also from Fort Lee, was a drummer and founding member of the NYPD’s Emerald Society Pipe Band. …

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Senator Calls For Resignation Of Freeholder Who Skipped County Police Merger Meeting

Freeholders Rob Hermansen and Maura DeNicola purposely skipped meeting, report says

Chief Details Burglaries at Sunday Press Conference (Video)

Chief releases more details on burglaries; Patch gets statements from Mayor Subrizi and Detective Sergeant Ramaci who is leading investigation

New Milford Chief of Police Frank Papapietro held a press conference at Borough Hall Sunday afternoon to speak about the two burglaries and one attempted burglary that occurred on Main Street early Sunday morning. Papapietro confirmed that two commercial burglaries, and one attempt, occurred sometime during the early hours of Sunday morning along Main Street at the following restaurants: What's Cooking, Lieto Italia Ristorante and Lantern Chinese.  According to Papapietro, the owner of What's Cooking saw that the glass on the front door was shattered when he arrived to open Sunday morning and noticed that there appeared to be activity around the cash register. Upon responding to the scene, police noticed that glass on the front door of …

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Bergen County Sheriff's Office Collecting for Soldiers

Members of the Youth Leadership Academy are helping to collect items for care packages for soldiers deployed to Afghanistan this Sunday

The Bergen County Sheriff's Office has teamed up with local non-profit Adopt-A-Solider to help create care packages for soldiers deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Officers with the sheriff's department, PBA Local 134 and cadets from the Youth Law Enforcement Leadership Academy are collecting items for soldiers of the New Jersey National Guard’s 2-113th Infantry – SECFOR Platoon. Forty-two soldiers from this platoon deployed to Afghanistan in March 2011.  Donations will also go to more than 300 soldiers in two units of the 10th Mountain Division currently serving in Southern Afghanistan. “We are excited to team up with Adopt-a-Soldier Platoon to provide much-needed supplies and care packages to our deployed troops,” said Bergen County …

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