Tuesday, May 7, 2013
The memorial will be held when the Police Unity Tour passes through Somerville.
The Police Unity Tour is being held this week, and one local Bridgewater officer is preparing to honor one of his fallen friends at a brief ceremony on the bike trail. Bridgewater Township Police Officer Art Akins is taking part in his ninth police unity tour, which has officers riding their bicycles from New Jersey to Washington D.C. in honor of officers who have been killed in the line of duty. “It was started 12 years ago,” he said. “It started with 50 cops, and now there are 1,000 officers.” At this point, Akins said, the tour has raised more than $6 million for maintenance of the memorial in D.C., and to continue adding names as needed. “The way I see it the departments are a brotherhood and a sisterhood,” he said. “It doesn’t matter …
Monday, May 6, 2013
Police say the suspect tells victims they owe back taxes to the IRS.
The Bridgewater Township Police Department is investigating reports of a phone scam that appears to be targeting the Middle Eastern Indian community. Detective Sgt. Tim Hoey said the department has probed a few scams, including one of contractors trying to take advantage of people rebuilding after superstorm Sandy. But one targeting the specific Indian community has been most prevalent of late, Hoey said. In the scam, Hoey said, the suspects call and identify themselves as a collection agency for the IRS. “They explain that the victims have open claims for back taxes owed to the IRS, and they threaten the victims with active arrest warrants if they don’t pay the full amount,” he said. The people who are called, Hoey said, are obviously not…
Friday, May 3, 2013
Police said they do not know when the intersection will reopen.
The area of Union and Finderne avenues is closed after a motor vehicle accident snarled traffic Friday mid-afternoon. Bridgewater Township Police said the area was closed at the intersection as of around 2 p.m. for investigation of the accident, but they do not know when the area will reopen. Onlookers report that the traffic on Union Avenue is currently backed up to around Foothill Road. Finderne Fire Company and Finderne Rescue Squad was on the scene. Patch will update as more information becomes available.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Minor was listed in critical condition after being struck on Route 22 Monday.
There is currently no update on the condition of the juvenile pedestrian who was struck by a vehicle on Route 22 West Monday morning, according to Bridgewater Township Police Lt. Al Nicaretta. The pedestrian was listed in critical condition after being brought to Morristown Memorial Hospital by Medevac helicopter following the collision that occurred around 7:45 a.m. Monday. Nicaretta also declined Tuesday to comment on the gender and age of the pedestrian. Bridgewater Township Police said in a release that Louis Bucci III was driving on Route 22 West just past the Route 202/206 overpass when he struck the pedestrian who was in the left lane. The highway was shut down in both directions for about three hours during the investigation Monday…
Monday, April 29, 2013
Flown to Morristown Memorial Hospital after being hit while walking in left lane.
A juvenile was in critical condition at Morristown Memorial Hospital after being struck by a car Monday while walking in the left lane of Route 22. Louis Bucci III was driving westbound under the Route 202/206 overpass at 7:45 a.m. when he struck the pedestrian in the left lane, Bridgewater Township Police said in a release. The pedestrian was taken to the hospital by Medivac helicopter, and was listed in critical condition. Police did not release the gender or age of the victim, or any further details beyond the news release, and did not return calls Tuesday morning. The highway was shut down in both directions for about three hours as authorities investigated. The Green Knoll Fire Department was in command of the Medevac landing zone, …
Monday, April 15, 2013
Anthony Mendoza and Joseph Bones are the newest Bridgewater Police officers.
The Bridgewater Township Police Department swore in two new officers Wednesday, taking the place of officers who had retired. Anthony Mendoza and Joseph Bones were sworn during the ceremony. “I was looking forward to this celebration for the township,” said Mayor Dan Hayes during the ceremony. “The candidate process is very rigorous.” Mendoza was born in New York and moved to Monroe in 1994, where he attended high school before heading to Middlesex County College. After that, Mendoza graduated from the Ocean County Police Academy. Mendoza, who was recently married, started with the Seaside Park Police Department, and then spent time with the Jamesburg Police Department. Bones, a Jackson resident, graduated from Ocean County Police Academy …
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Malik Campbell of Franklin Park was made an honorary member of the Bridgewater Police.
The Bridgewater Township Police Department recognized its newest honorary member with proclamations from both the township and the state—and that honor went to 4-year-old Malik Campbell. Franklin Park resident Campbell, a lover of all things police, suffers from a rare form of leukemia, and came to the attention of the police department in December. “The program came together after our visit to St. Peter’s Medical Center before Christmas, which is something we have been doing since 2006,” said Bridgewater Township Police Chief Richard Borden. “Upon meeting Malik, it was evident he was quite enthralled with police, and any toy or replica associated with the police.” Borden said the department, with help from the Policemen Benevolent …
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Malik Campbell is suffering from a rare form of cancer.
Franklin Park resident Malik Campbell will be sworn in as an honorary Bridgewater police officer at a special ceremony Wednesday. Campbell, 4, suffers from a rare form of cancer, and will be honored by the Bridgewater Township Police Department and the Bridgewater Police Benevolent Associaton 174. The ceremony will be held Wednesday at 4 p.m. in the municipal building on Commons Way. According to a release from the department, Bridgewater Township Police Chief Richard Borden, who is a cancer survivor, approached the PBA in 2006 to request that toys be donated to Saint Peter's Children's Hospital for the holiday season. Borden and other PBA officers delivered the toys to the children through the Child Life Program at the hospital, the …
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
The accreditation comes after a several-year process.
The Bridgewater Township Police Department has officially been recognized as an Accredited Police Agency after a lengthy application process. The department received its accreditation, officially, Feb. 14 through the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police and The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. “This was one of my original goals to obtain when I was first sworn in as chief in 2006,” said Bridgewater Township Police Chief Richard Borden. “My reaction is essentially one of great pride that the police department as a whole united for one common objective.” “For me personally, it is the satisfaction of establishing a level to achieve and seeing it through to fruition,” he added. Borden said that the …
Monday, March 18, 2013
Cops say she was seen driving erratically in the Days Inn parking lot.
A South River woman was arrested after she was allegedly found with drugs and paraphernalia in her vehicle at the Days Inn on Route 22, according to Bridgewater Township Police. Mandy Wolfinger, 25, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a hypodermic needle after she was pulled over at 8:55 p.m. March 6. According to a release from police, Wolfinger was pulled over after she was seen driving erratically in the parking lot of the motel. While Wolfinger was looking for identification, the police report said, officers found empty wax folds and hypodermic needles in her bag. Wolfinger was processed and released.
Edwin Flynn
10:59 pm on Monday, May 6, 2013
Phone scams are prevalent these days, indeed. As a matter of fact, the complaints posted at http://www.callercenter.com never stop pouring in. This just means that these scammers continue to call and try to scam people. But if it's any consolation, there were hardly any victim nowadays. People, especially the seniors who are the likely targets, are now well-aware and more vigilant against such … more ›