Police Departments in Essex County Will Hire More Officers with Grant Money

Criminal Lawyers in Essex County NJThree law enforcement agencies in Essex County, NJ are set to receive federal grant money that will be used to hire additional cops to patrol streets. The Essex County Sheriff’s Office, the Nutley Police Department, and the West Orange Police Department were awarded several million dollars to help with efforts to stop violent crimes and drug crimes. The grants come from the Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Policing Services Hiring Program (more commonly known as the COPS Hiring Program).

The federal government money will be distributed in NJ as follows:

  • The Essex County Sheriff’s Office gets $1.8 million to hire 15 officers.
  • The Nutley Police Department in Essex County gets $500,000 to hire four (4) officers.
  • The West Orange Police Department in Essex County, NJ gets $500,000 to hire four (4) officers.
  • The Paramus Police Department in Bergen County, NJ gets $625,000 to hire five (5) officers.
  • The Moonachie Police Department in Bergen County, NJ gets $125,000 to hire one (1) officer.
  • The Long Branch Police Department in Monmouth County, NJ gets $625,000 to hire five (5) officers.

The six law enforcement agencies will be receiving approximately $.2 million so that they can hire 34 police officers for community patrolling. In 2016, three Essex County police departments – the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, the East Orange Police Department, and the Orange Police Department – received $4.7 million to hire 32 officers through the COPS hiring program.

Essex County Community Policing

Community policing is supposed to prevent criminal activity by giving police officers the opportunity to patrol high-crime areas. In New Jersey, community policing efforts have been used to crack down on places known for marijuana distribution and cocaine distribution. U.S. Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. previously noted that the COPS program helps NJ police departments “strengthen their capacity to work directly with community members to meet their needs and make New Jersey communities safer.” Similarly, U.S. Senator Robert Menendez said that having police officers in the community on a daily basis allows residents and business owners to develop strong relationships with police “built on trust and mutual respect.”

Beyond that, community policing programs help residents to feel safer because an increased police presence allows children to avoid dangers as they walk to and from school. For example, the West Orange Police Department reportedly plans to place some of the additional officers in city schools to serve as school resource officers and to address dangerous incidents with juveniles.

Contact an Essex County Criminal Defense Lawyer Today!

Having more police officers on Essex County streets means that there is likely to be an uptick in arrests. If you were arrested and charged with crimes in West Orange, Nutley, Newark, or any other part of Essex County, you should talk to an experienced criminal defense lawyer. The experienced NJ criminal attorneys at the Tormey Law Firm defend clients against criminal charges in Superior Courts and Municipal Courts throughout New Jersey. Contact us today to explore your legal options.