The Teaneck Police Department along with New Jersey DEA,  Office of the Attorney General and over 250 local police departments have signed up to participate in “Operation Medicine Cabinet”. The object is to bring public attention to an issue that is impacting our youth, our families and our communities.  This coordinated effort is available for all residents to properly dispose of their unused, unwanted and expired medicines and is the first of its kind in the nation.

New Jersey Attorney General Ann Milgram said, “We can’t break a cycle of dependence if powerful prescription drugs are stashed in our homes, tucked away in drawers and cabinets.  With Operation Medicine Cabinet, we are calling on all New Jersey residents to see their medicine cabinets through new eyes — as access points for potential misuse and abuse of the over-the-counter and prescription medicine by young people”.

It’s a scenario familiar to every parent: You stop in a store to pick up a few items with your pre-schooler in tow. “Stay right with me” you say as you turn your attention to the sales rack for a second. You feel your child playing next to you… when suddenly that sixth sense that prickles the back of your neck, kicks in. Your child is not near you anymore. You looked away for only a second and now he is gone. You try to keep your cool as you call his name louder and louder, but only silence fills the air. Your heart is pounding and your mind is filled with horrible thoughts; “Help me, my child is missing”, you cry out to anyone who will listen.

I wasn’t talking on my cell phone, Officer. I was texting” says the driver stopped by the Police. “Why am I getting a ticket? The New Jersey Motor Vehicle statute states, “The use of a wireless telephone or electronic communication device by an operator of a moving vehicle shall be unlawful except when using a hands-free device”. This includes Driving While Texting. DWT.

A recently release study by the National Highway Safety Administration reports that possibly 50% of all crashes in the United States are caused by some form of a distraction: cell phone usage, reading while driving and IPod usage. One in four Americans admit to texting while driving.

While not condoning the practice of talking on the cell phone, studies have reported that it is less dangerous than texting- mainly because talking does not require looking at the cell phone. In contrast, when sending or reading a text message, drivers take their eyes off the road ahead to type out or view a response. A close second to dangerous texting is using an IPod- which also diverts individual’s attention from the road when selecting songs or playlists. This problem is acute with drivers aged 17-25 who feel they can multi-task driving with electronic device operation. They cannot.

Last year a freight train collided with a Metro-Link commuter train in Chatsworth California. Twenty-five people were killed and 135 were injured. The investigation revealed the freight train driver had been sending and receiving text messages while operating the train. In April of 2009, a California woman was sentenced to six years in prison because she crashed into a line of stopped cars while texting, killing one of the passengers. These are, unfortunately, just two examples from a long list of fatalities cause by texting.

Remember, in the eyes of New Jersey Motor Vehicle laws, using a cell phone without a hands free device- either talking or texting- is a violation. The Teaneck Police Department will issue you a summons for this infraction and the fine is $100.00.

As we have discussed in past articles, the Teaneck Police Department is actively enforcing cell phone usage while driving. We ask that you simply pull over to a safe location to use your electronic device. Please do not block a roadway, driveway or a pedestrian walkway when you stop. Educate the young drivers you know to the dangers of texting and driving and re-enforce that if you discover they disregarded your direction, the ramifications will be harsh. I would recommend that young drivers and parents alike view a YouTube public safety video out of the United Kingdom. It is a gruesome simulation that reminds us of what can happen when you text and drive. This video is not for the faint-hearted. Education is our first line of defense in preventing easily avoidable accidents.

The Teaneck Police Department under the command of Chief Robert A. Wilson implores the motoring public to adhere to the laws and use hands free devices when operating a vehicle. Let not a tragedy happen in Teaneck and do not use a cell phone or electronic any electronic device contrary to law. If you have any question or concerns, please feel free to contact the Community Policing Bureau at 201-837-8759 or email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

It has almost been 10 years since our homeland was attacked on September 11, 2001. Since that time we have come a long way in making the country we live in a more secure and aware place to live. The Department of Homeland Security and the many other state and local agencies have kept our country and airspace free from attack. Our law enforcement and intelligence officers have brought our ability to gather, share, interpret and react to information to levels never before imagined, but still we have a long way to go.

Just because an attack has not happened in a long time does not mean it can not occur at any minute. Although we have countless government agencies watching the world, we as citizens of this Township need to stay vigilant.

Teaneck Police Department

We often see news accounts of joggers/walkers who were struck and injured by moving vehicles. Jogging and walking is supposed to be a healthy activity, but it can be much more hazardous than a pulled muscle or sore feet. Anytime you mix pedestrians and vehicles together, there is an inherent risk.

In 2008, 39 persons were injured involving pedestrian/vehicle accidents in Teaneck and luckily, no fatalities were reported. In 2007, 42 pedestrians were injured with one fatality. In these incidents, the majority occurred at intersections. In 2005, a jogger was struck and killed by a hit and run driver while running on Queen Anne Rd. in the early morning hours. An intense investigation was conducted and the driver was later identified and charged with a crime.

It is the big question all law abiding citizens have: if the nation’s economy is slipping towards new depths, will crime be on the upswing? The nation’s press all hypothesize with new theories that this is a fact, but is it reality?

One thing is for sure, this topic makes for a good story in the papers and on TV. If you tracked crime and the economy together in the past, you could make a good argument that crime has risen with bad economic times. In the late 1970’s and 80’s, the nationwide crime explosion occurred during those hard times. But since then, crime has dropped to historically low levels not seen since the early 1960’s. A recent study done by the Federal Reserve of St. Louis found, “weak evidence across U.S. cities that economic conditions significantly influence short-run changes in crime.”