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Police Department

Linden Police to Participate in Click it or Ticket Enforcement Campaign May 24th through June 6th

Linden — The Linden Police Department is reminding drivers about the lifesaving benefits of wearing a seat belt this spring, during the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) national Click It or Ticket high-visibility enforcement effort. The national seat belt campaign, which coincides with the Memorial Day holiday, runs from May 24th until June 6th, 2021.

“We want the act of buckling up to become automatic to all drivers and passengers,” said Police Chief David Hart. “It’s not just a safe thing to do; it’s the law. During the Click It or Ticket campaign, we’ll be working with our fellow law enforcement officers across local and state lines to ensure the message gets out to drivers and passengers. Buckling up is the simplest thing you can do to limit injury or save your life during a crash. We see the results of not wearing a seat belt all the time. We see the loss of life. So often, it could have been prevented.”

For this year’s Click It or Ticket seat belt mobilization effort, NHTSA is asking all states to participate in the kickoff event, Border to Border (B2B), a one-day, 4-hour national seat belt awareness event on May 24 that is coordinated by participating state highway safety offices and their respective law enforcement liaisons. The B2B program aims to increase law enforcement participation by coordinating highly visible seat belt enforcement and providing seat belt fact sheets for drivers at heavily traveled, highly visible state border checkpoints.

According to NHTSA, in 2019, there were 9,466 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in the United States. In that same year, 55% of passenger vehicle occupants killed at night (6 p.m.–5:59 a.m.) were not wearing their seat belts. That’s why one focus of the Click It or Ticket campaign is nighttime enforcement. Participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement, writing citations day and night. In New Jersey, the penalty for a seat belt violation is $46.

“You may think you’re safe in a certain vehicle, or on a certain road, but the truth is, you’re safest when you buckle up, no matter what,” said Chief Hart. “Unfortunately, many families are suffering because their loved ones refused to follow this simple step.” Almost twice as many males were killed in crashes as compared to females, with lower belt use rates, too. Of the males killed in crashes in 2019, more than half (51%) were unrestrained. For females killed in crashes, 40% were not buckled up.

“If the enforcement effort wakes people up to the dangers of unrestrained driving, then we’ll consider our mission to be a success,” said Chief Hart. “If you know a friend or a family member who does not buckle up when they drive, please ask them to consider changing their habits. Help us spread this lifesaving message before one more friend or family member is killed as a result of this senseless inaction. Seat belts save lives, and everyone — front seat and back, child and adult — needs to remember to buckle up.”

  • For more information on the Click It or Ticket mobilization, please click here.
  • To view and/or download a PDF of this press release, click here.

Two Men Arrested in Connection with Convenience Store Robbery

For Immediate Release

Lawrence Thomas, 29, of Plainfield and Travis Price, 28, of Linden were arrested and are charged with first-degree robbery for their alleged role in a convenience store robbery.

On February 21, 2021, at approximately 10:15pm, Linden Police Officers responded to the 7-Eleven store located at 1832 E. St. George Ave on a reported robbery. An initial investigation indicated that the two suspects entered the store, at which time one of the suspects walked behind the counter and ordered the clerks to empty the register. The second suspect, who remained near the entrance to the store, allegedly lifted his shirt in a manner that suggested that he was in possession of a weapon. The suspects then fled the scene on foot. The clerks, a 32-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman, were not injured during the incident.

A subsequent three-week joint investigation by the Union County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Division, Linden Police Detective Bureau, and Elizabeth Police Department identified Thomas and Price as the suspects and resulted in the charges. The Union County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit, along with members of the Union and Roselle Police Departments, also assisted in the investigation.

“Cooperative partnerships between members of the community and among various law enforcement agencies is an essential part of any successful criminal investigation and prosecution,” said Linden Police Chief David Hart. “We are appreciative to our law enforcement partners for their help in this case, and we applaud the courageous victims and witnesses who have taken a stand to condemn violence in our community.”

The defendants were arrested without incident on Thursday, March 11, 2021. Thomas surrendered to Police at Linden Police Headquarters and remanded to the Union County Jail pending an appearance in Superior Court.

These criminal charges are mere accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

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Newark Man Arrested Following Attempted Car Burglary

William Fales, 29, of Newark, was arrested and is facing charges related to a vehicle burglary.

Just before 3:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 9, 2020 Officers responded to the 400 block of Ainsworth St after a resident reported that a man was pulling on car door handles. Officers located Fales at the corner of W. Elm & Brook St, and a subsequent investigation identified him as the suspect.

At the time of his arrest, Fales was found to be in possession of several items that were stolen from a separate vehicle burglary on December 3, 2020.

Fales was arrested and is charged with third-degree burglary and possession of stolen property, a Disorderly Persons offense. He was remanded to the Union County Jail pending an appearance in Superior Court.

Similar incidents throughout the city remain under investigation, and anyone with information about them is urged to contact Det. Michael Cistaro at (908) 474-8530 or via email to mcistaro@lpdnj.org.

These criminal charges are mere accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

To view and/or download a copy of this press release, please click here.

Fugitive Wanted for Linden Homicide Apprehended in Georgia

For Immediate Release

A fugitive wanted in connection with a fatal shooting that took place in Linden two months ago has been located and apprehended in Georgia, acting Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay V. Ruotolo and Linden Police Chief David Hart jointly announced Tuesday.

Members of the U.S. Marshals Service took 38-year-old Dion M. Johnson of Linden into custody in the Atlanta area on Monday; he is charged with first-degree murder and two second-degree weapons offenses in connection with the death of 38-year-old Darrell Q. McKoy.  

Shortly after 12:45 p.m. on Monday, October 5, members of the Linden Police Department responded to the 1200 block of Essex Avenue and found McKoy outside his home at that location, having sustained serious injury, according to the preliminary investigation. McKoy was transported to Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 1:30 p.m.

An investigation led by the Union County Homicide Task Force and assisted by members of the Linden Police Department, Union County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit, and Union County Police Department Ballistics Unit resulted in Johnson being identified as a suspect in the case. He currently remains in custody in Georgia pending extradition back to New Jersey.

Anyone with information about this matter is still being urged to contact Prosecutor’s Office Detective Sonia Rodriguez at 908-341-3380 or Sgt. Johnny Ho at 908-403-8271. 

“Working in tandem with our investigative partners in Linden and with the county, our Homicide Task Force has been hard at work on this case since its inception, following every lead in pursuit of this defendant,” Prosecutor Ruotolo said. “I would like to commend the Union County law enforcement team, as well as our federal partners at the U.S. Marshals Service, for their efforts in ensuring that he is brought to justice.”

Convictions on criminal charges of this nature are commonly punishable by terms of up to life in state prison.

These criminal charges are mere accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Contact: Mark Spivey, Union County Prosecutor’s Office, 732-236-9849; mspivey@ucnj.org

To view and/or download a copy of this press release, please click here.

Linden Police “No Shave November” & “Nails for November” Raise $5K for Charity

Linden – Linden Police Chief David Hart joined Linden Police Benevolent Association Local #42 President Joseph Appello and Linden Police Superior Officers Association President Joseph Birch to announce that the Department raised $5,000 in its third annual “No Shave November” & “Nails for November” event.

“I continue to be overwhelmed at the popularity and success of this effort,” said Chief Hart. “More than half of the Department participated to raise money for this very worthy cause. I would like to thank each of them, especially Presidents Appello and Birch, for their incredible generosity.”

A donation in the amount of $5,000 was presented to Men’s Health Network (MHN), a national non-profit organization whose mission is to reach men, boys, and their families where they live, work, play, and pray with health awareness and disease prevention messages and tools, screening programs, educational materials, advocacy opportunities, and patient navigation. Learn more at menshealthnetwork.org

MHN Vice President Ana Tomšić, who received the donation on behalf of the organization, stated “Men’s Health Network thanks the Linden PBA Local 42, the Linden Police Superior Officers Association, and the Linden Police Department for their generous support in raising awareness of the important issue of men’s health this November. Especially with the current situation in our society as it is, there is plenty that we can do to help raise awareness and promote good health among our family, friends, and colleagues from afar. Keeping healthy means that communities (both personal and professional) will thrive for a long time.”

The Department will build on this success and continue their fund raising efforts by participating in “Double-Down December.” Grooming standards will continue to be relaxed through the end of the year for participants who make a second matching donation. Monies raised in Double-Down December will be dedicated to host a community event later in the month, and any remaining monies will be donated to St. Joseph’s Social Service Center in Elizabeth, NJ.

Members of the public are invited to participate. Checks or money orders made payable to Linden PBA Local 42, RE: DDC will be accepted at the Police desk any time during the month of November. A receipt will be given for each donation, but unfortunately CASH DONATIONS CANNOT BE ACCEPTED.  

To view and/or download a PDF of this press release, click here.

Two Arrested After Linden Police Seize Handgun During Traffic Stop

Newark residents Walir Reynolds, 30, and Janiyyah Jones, 25, have been arrested and are facing weapons charges after Police recovered a handgun during a motor vehicle stop.

Police allege that they observed the vehicle speeding along Route 1 just before 9:30pm on Thursday, November 19, 2020. Officers stopped the vehicle, and a subsequent investigation led to the recovery of a handgun from inside the vehicle. Reynolds and Jones are charged with second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon.

“This is the twelfth illegal gun we have seized this year,” said Police Chief David Hart. “We will continue to pro-actively work to take these guns off our streets.”

Reynolds and Jones were both remanded to the Union County Jail pending an appearance in Superior Court.

These criminal charges are mere accusations. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

To view and/or download a PDF of this press release, click here.

Linden Police Let it Ride in “Double-Down December”

Linden – Chief David Hart joined Linden Police Benevolent Association Local #42 President Joseph Appello and Linden Police Superior Officers Association President Joseph Birch to announce that the Department will build off the success of “No Shave November” & “Nails for November” by participating in “Double-Down December.”

After raising $5,000 for Men’s Health Network (MHN), the Department will continue to relax grooming standards and allow Officers to keep their beards through the end of the year. Money raised in Double-Down December will be dedicated to host a community event later in the month. Any remaining monies will be donated to St. Joseph’s Social Service Center in Elizabeth, NJ.

“No Shave November has been a very successful fundraiser,” said Chief Hart. “Building off of that success with Double-Down December to benefit local families is a no-brainer, especially while so many of our friends and neighbors are struggling.” Participation is voluntary, and donations may be made without participation. Members of the public are invited to show their support by making a donation.

Checks or money orders made payable to Linden PBA Local 42, RE: MHN will be accepted at the Police desk any time during the month of November. A receipt will be given for each donation, but unfortunately CASH DONATIONS CANNOT BE ACCEPTED.

Local Business Partners with Police to Make City Street Safer

A local business has partnered with the Linden Police Department to make significant traffic safety improvements along a heavily-traveled street.

Rosedale & Rosehill Cemetery, located on E. Linden Ave, has operated in Linden for over 100 years. Linden Ave, which was once just a dirt road, has become a major thoroughfare within the city; it is one of only four roadways that directly connect Park and Wood Avenues with an estimated 8,000 vehicles that travel on it daily.

The Cemetery has maintained a vehicle crossing to transport materials and equipment from their offices across E. Linden Ave to the cemetery since 1998. Over the years, the volume and speed of traffic has dramatically increased. In 2019, Cemetery President, Jim Koslovski became worried for the safety of his employees, residents and surrounding businesses and contacted the Police Department to see what could be done. “The Linden Police Traffic Bureau was very responsive to our concerns and we immediately began the process of developing a comprehensive plan to make the street safer,” said Jim. 

New parking restrictions were adopted to improve visibility leading up to the crossing, and new signs were installed to make sure drivers were aware that vehicles could be crossing. A large portion of the work was delayed due to utility work, but last month the road was finally repaved thanks to a grant from the Union County Infrastructure program, and striping was added between Carteret St and Willow Glade Rd to reduce illegal parking violations and reduce speeding. Rosedale & Rosehill Cemetery generously contributed over $18,000 to make sure that the improvements were made without impacting the city’s budget.

“Safety is a priority for our employees, clientele and the citizens of Linden”, said Jim. “We have seen a reduction in speed, increased awareness by drivers as they travel along Linden Avenue as well as adhering to the posted speed limit. I personally want to thank Mayor Armstead, The Linden City Council, Councilman Roman, Chief Hart, Lt. Guenther, Sgt. Oliveira and the City of Linden Engineering Department for their support, time, and effort in helping complete this very important safety project.”

“We have seen very promising results from these improvements thus far,” said Linden Police Chief David Hart. “Unfortunately, funding is not always available to experiment with traffic control measures like these, so we are very grateful to have a generous and invested partners like Rosedale & Rosehill Cemetery.”

Officers will continue to monitor the area over the next year, and similar measures could be implemented in other areas if the results prove to be successful.

To download a PDF of this press release, click here.

Linden Police Department Offers Online Reporting Services

Linden – Chief David Hart announced today that the Linden Police Department has entered into an agreement with LexisNexis to offer community members an easy-to-use service to file or request online reports.

“We want to make sure that the process to make and/or request a Police report is as simple and convenient as possible,” said Police Chief David Hart. “Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic we have seen an increasing demand to minimize the need for in-person reporting of minor incidents.”

The service provides community members with a quick and efficient way to report a variety of non-emergent incidents, such as harassing phone calls, identity theft, lost property, theft, traffic complaint, vandalism, and violations of a child custody agreement without coming to Police Headquarters or having an Officer in their home.

“This service will not only reduce the risk to Officers and the public as it relates to COVID-19 and other diseases, it allows us to more efficiently utilize our resources by reducing the demand for Officers to document minor incidents, giving them more time to focus on stopping criminals,” added Chief Hart.

For more information, or to access this service, please click here.

Click here to view and/or download a PDF of this press release.