The Daily Newarker — Press Wire

For Immediate Release

MAYOR BOOKER WELCOMES CITY OF NEWARK’S 7^TH SENIOR CITIZEN POLICE ACADEMY AT POLICE/FIRE COMMUNICATIONS CENTER

106 senior residents will ride along with Police and use firearms training simulator;

Class will empower seniors as “ambassadors” for Police and resource against crime

Newark, NJ – February 5, 2010 - Newark Mayor Cory A. Booker and Deputy Police Director Niles R. Wilson welcomed the 106 members of the 7^th Senior Citizen Police Academy class during a ceremony held today at the Police/Fire Communications Center at 309- 311 Washington Street. Also in attendance of the event to welcome the seniors was Council Member-at-Large Carlos M. Gonzalez, West Ward Council Member Ronald C. Rice and Public Safety Director Anthony Campos.

Classes are free and will run consecutively for 10 weeks at the Police and Fire Communications Center on Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m., concluding with a graduation ceremony on April 30, 2010. The Senior Citizen Police Academy students, ages 55 and older, will be trained on crime prevention and intervention tactics.  The curriculum includes training on how to detect and report criminal activity, firearms instruction courtesy of the department’s state-of-the-art Firearms Training Simulator (FATS), as well as information about the day-to-day operations of the Newark Police Department. Students will also have the opportunity to respond to low-priority service calls throughout Newark with police officers.  Two of the students taking this class are in their nineties: Margaret Jackson, aged 93, and Egbert Emanuel Ellis, aged 91.

“There are so many people in this country who think democracy is a spectator sport. Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, ‘Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle.’ Every one of our seniors who is participating in this police academy program has every reason to say ‘I did my part already, and I don’t have to do anything else.’ I thank our seniors for continuing to do their part to make a difference as our City’s leaders. Together with the support of our seniors, we are building a stronger, safer, prouder City,” said Mayor Booker.

The Mayor highlighted the accomplishments of his administration’s four-year commitment to public safety, including creating the Newark Police Foundation, installation of surveillance cameras, increasing the number of police officers patrolling the streets, and the success of the anonymous Crime Stoppers and Gun Stoppers tiplines. “Our residents are saying, ‘this street belongs to me as much as anybody,’ and that’s why you are involved with our senior police academy, because this City belongs to you and 2010 will be our best year ever,” Mayor Booker said.

“The Senior Citizen Police Academy is pivotal to the success of the Newark Police Department,” said Deputy Director Wilson. “I encourage Newark’s senior citizens to take advantage of this opportunity to not only learn more about the Police Department, but to help make our City safer. Only with their support can we continue to protect the community and reclaim our respective neighborhoods.”

Seniors will also serve as participants in the decision-making process involved in preventing criminal activity, and detecting and reporting crime.  In addition, the students will learn more about personal and home safety tactics from the Fire Department, senior health issues from the Department of Child and Family Well-Being, and senior discounts and services available through NJ Transit.

Senior Citizen Police Academy Supervisor Detective Debra Cole-Grainger said, “The involvement of our senior police academy students does not end with the graduation ceremony. We need the help of our senior police academy alumni to assist us with chaperoning youngsters at our community events, such as our Police Week and Halloween Parties.  The support of our seniors is critical to ensure the safety of our neighborhoods and families.” 

Senior Police Academy Class of 2005 Graduate Mary Azagra said, “I love being part of this program.  I learned so much about Compstat, Triage, and it was fun going on patrol with the police officers. This program empowers me as a senior citizen and I encourage others to join the program.” Ms. Azagra enjoyed the program so much, that she volunteers to work at events for other Senior Academy classes, like this one.

If you are interested in participating in a future Senior Citizen Police Academy Class, and are a Newark resident aged 55 or older, please contact the Office of Aging located at 94 William Street, at (973) 733-4392.

Under the Booker Administration, the City of Newark has formed several new partnerships and launched numerous new initiatives and policing strategies. Since 2006, the Newark Police Foundation has raised thousands of dollars in philanthropic donations to support the purchase and deployment of new crime-fighting technology, including the deployment of more than one hundred wireless video surveillance cameras, a sonic gunshot detection system, a new state-of-the-art emergency services vehicle and the operation of the City’s “Crime Stopper” and “Gun Stopper” anonymous tip lines. Since the anonymous tip lines began, police have received more the 3000 calls and paid out more than $61,000 in reward money resulting in more than 200 arrests, the recovery of 78 guns, and the confiscation of more than $235,000 worth of illegal narcotics.

Anyone with information about any crime in Newark is urged to call the Department’s 24-hour “Crime Stoppers” anonymous tip line at 877 NWK-TIPS (877 695-8477) or 877 NWK-GUNS (877 695-4867). Tips leading to arrests and indictments could result in cash rewards of up to $2,000 to the person who provides the information or $1,000 per gun for calls into the gun hot line.

For more information about these or any other City of Newark municipal program or policy, contact the Non-Emergency Call Center at (973) 733-4311.

-NEWARK-

Contact:         Newark Press Information Office: (973) 733-8004

E-mail: Pressoffice@ci.newark.nj.us


Newark Police Press Information Office: (973) 733-6309


E-mail: Mcclendont@ci.newark.nj.us

About the City of Newark, New Jersey

Newark, commonly referred to as Brick City, is the third oldest city in the United States and the largest in New Jersey, with a population of more than 280,000 people. Newark sits on one of the nation’s largest transportation super-structures including an international airport, major rail connections, major highway intersections and the busiest seaport on the east coast.

With a new Administration as of July 2006, Newark continues to see signs of a strong revival.  In population, it is one of the fastest growing cities in the northeast. Its six major colleges and universities are further expanding their presence. The production of affordable housing has doubled, businesses are returning and crime is going down. There is still much work to be done but Newark is on its way to achieving its mission:  to set a national standard for urban transformation.

For more information on the City of Newark, please visit our website at www.ci.newark.nj.us

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