The Borough Government
The Florham Park Police Department

Police Department Census

The Florham Park Police Department is requesting that all residents complete the census form enclosed in this update (download PDF file, click here) and return it back to the following address:

Florham Park Police Department
111 Ridgedale Avenue
Florham Park, NJ 07932

The Police Department maintains these records in our computer system so that in case of an emergency we have the information to contact the necessary person(s). An emergency may be a lost child, a fire, some type of medical condition, etc.

All records are kept confidential.

Identity Theft is America’s fastest-growing crime.
(click here for details)

What you Should be Aware of in Florham Park

Important Topics

• Report lost or stolen credit cards immediately.
• If you applied for a credit card and didn’t receive it when expected, call the financial institution.
• Sign new credit cards immediately – before someone else does.
• Memorize your Social Security number and passwords. Don’t use your date of birth as your password and don’t record passwords on papers you carry with you.
• Never leave transaction receipts at ATM machines, on counters at financial institutions, or at gasoline pumps.
• Don’t carry your Social Security card or birth certificate – leave them in a secure location.
• Don’t disclose credit card or other financial account numbers on a Web site unless the site offers a secure transaction.
• Closely monitor the expiration dates on your credit cards and contact the issuer if you don’t receive a replacement prior to the expiration date.
• Beware of mail or telephone solicitations that offer prizes or awards – especially if the offeror asks you for personal information or financial account numbers.
• Match your credit card receipts against your monthly bills and check your monthly financial statements for accuracy.
• Watch for your monthly financial statements and bills. If you don’t get them when expected, contact the sender.

• Contact the Florham Park Police Department immediately at 973-377-2200
• If the crime involved the U.S. Mail, contact your nearest U.S. Postal Inspection Service office and report it.
• Call the fraud units of the three major credit bureaus and request a “fraud alert” be placed on your credit file.

• Order copies of your credit report from the credit bureaus to check whether any fraudulent accounts were opened without your knowledge or consent.
• Contact your banks and creditors, by phone and in writing, and report the crime. You may be advised to close some or all of your accounts. At the least, change your PIN codes and passwords immediately.
• Record the names and phone numbers of people with whom you discussed your case and retain all original reports and supporting documents. Keeping accurate and complete records are a big step toward helping you resolve your problem.
• Contact your financial institutions and request they flag your accounts. Instruct them to contact you immediately if there is unusual activity on your accounts.
• File your complaint online with the Federal Trade Commission, or call their Identity Theft Hotline at 1-877-IDTHEFT. The FTC has counselors to assist identity theft victims with resolving financial and other problems that can result from this crime.

Community Policing Program
Already initiated in Florham Park is an exciting, contemporary form of crime prevention, simply known as Community Policing. This community-oriented program is actively servicing our neighborhoods by taking the extra effort necessary to make Florham Park a safe and secure haven for its citizens.

Some specific goals of the program include: expanding the Neighborhood Block Watch which currently has 121 block watch captains; assisting senior citizens; aggressively patrolling; and educational programs within the school system. Michael J. Murphy will be the schools’ Resource Officer, working to maintain a safe and secure environment for our children and teaching the DARE program to the entire school district.

Residents can actively participate in the Community Policing Program. The program is looking for volunteers to help with planning events and brainstorming for new ideas that can help our community.

Please contact Patrolman Michael J. Murphy at 973-410-5429 with questions, concerns, comments or suggestions for the Community Policing Program.

Domestic Violence, It’s Your Business
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Domestic violence affects all of us. The numbers only begin to tell the story. Police reported 77,680 domestic violence offenses in New Jersey in 2000, and research shows that domestic violence is underreported. Children are involved or present during 39% of those offenses. Domestic violence complaints filed even after prior court orders issued against the offender increased 17% over the year before. Alcohol and drugs are involved in 32% of the reported offences. People over the age of 60 are victims in 3% of the reported domestic violence offenses, but were 21%of the victims (8 out of 39) of the domestic violence murders. Domestic violence occurs in every community in New Jersey.

What can you do to help prevent domestic violence?
Domestic violence is our business: everyone has to play a role in ending domestic violence. To learn more about how you can help to prevent domestic violence in your community or workplace, or to learn how to help a friend, co-worker or neighbor who is being abused, call Jersey Battered Women’s Service, Inc. at 973-267-4763 or the New Jersey Statewide Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-572-SAFE (7233). You can also go online at www.njcbw.org to find more information.

Neighbor Alert Referral Program
The Community Relations Committee of the Advisory Council on Aging, Disabilities, Veterans is seeking your help in identifying Seniors at Risk. Things to be aware of:
Does the Older Person have bruises, burns; appear malnourished or dehydrated; appear over medicated; lack personal hygiene; have slurred speech; complain of severe pain/dizziness/weakness; have problems breathing? Does he or she act fearful; withdrawn; depressed; reluctant to talk; anxious; confused or disoriented; unresponsive? Exterior of the home - lawn unattended; animal neglected; shrubbery overgrown; newspapers/mail not picked up; tools left outside; blinds/shades closed; overturned chairs or scattered objects (may indicate that the person had a fall); trash collecting in yard; empty garbage cans not taken in from road? Interior of Home - unpleasant odors; left-over food standing out; food spoiling in refrigerator; uncleanliness; overturned furniture; scattered objects? If you know anyone that fits any of these descriptions, please call New Jersey EASE (Easy Access, Single Entry) phone at 1-800-564-4656 for help.

Speeding on Residential Streets
The increased number of complaints of speeding drivers on residential streets has become a major concern to the Florham Park Police Department’s Traffic Safety Unit. Often drivers who speed through residential neighborhoods are unaware of the effect their actions have on the peace and safety of the residential street. The Traffic Safety Unit has been responding to these complaints in numerous ways, first by deploying the radar trailer (the radar trailer is a trailer that has a police radar unit installed in it with a large display that shows your vehicle’s speed as you approach it). The trailer not only draws the attention of the driver of the vehicle to his approaching speed, but it also allows the residents to see the actual speed that vehicles are traveling on their streets.

After the radar trailer has been deployed to a location, it is followed up by a strict enforcement, zero tolerance, which is extremely effective at reducing speeds. Studies have indicated that an aggressive program of police enforcement of speed limits can reduce average travel speeds by 38 percent.

Let’s all do our part in making our residential streets safe. Remember to slow down; it could be your street.

If you would like to schedule the radar trailer for your street, you can do so by contacting Patrolman Frank Yannuzzi of the Traffic Safety Unit at 973-410-5379.
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Techniques to Avoid Accidents and Fines
Safe driving skills can be easily learned. It is somewhat harder to unlearn bad habits, but adherence to just a few driving “rules” can move you into the professional class of defensive drivers who avoid both accidents and fines.

The following are just some defensive driving techniques:
1. Keep the eyes constantly moving.
Many drivers develop an almost hypnotic stare at a point on the road not far in front of them. Others stare at the line between lanes. Both of these types of drivers can be identified by their sudden braking as they notice dangerous situations at the last moment. Instead, the eyes should be constantly
moving up and down the road to the sides, and checking your rear view mirrors. A driver should always know what is happening all around his vehicle.
2. Always leave yourself an out.
At all times, you must try to place your vehicle where your safety is NOT determined by other drivers. You want to have a place to head if danger appears. This is called looking for “space cushions”, places where you can go in order to avoid collisions.
3. Make sure the other driver sees you.
On freeways, where improper lane changes are one of the most frequent causes of serious accidents, and on two-lane roads, where vehicles going the other direction are frequently passing slower vehicles. Using your headlights will help other vehicles notice you.
4. Respect the weather.
Many readers may not know that even the light rain may be as dangerous as the worst winter weather. Oil residue and dirt accumulations on the road mixed with any type of moisture will cause the road to be extremely slippery. This could be extremely dangerous at intersections where there is a larger build up of oil and dirt then on other parts of the roadway. Always use great caution when driving on wet roadways and remember that it may take longer distances to stop when breaking.

Traffic Safety Tips
—Fatigued Drivers
Driver fatigue is known to be a factor in up to one third of serious crashes. Driver fatigue is commonly thought of as “falling asleep at the wheel.” However, fatigue can seriously impair your driving well before you nod off at the wheel. A major problem with fatigue is that drivers don’t realize they are too tired to drive safely.

Avoid driver fatigue on long journeys:
• Make sure you have plenty of sleep before a
long journey
• Take regular breaks; get out of the car and take a short walk, or stop for refreshments
• On long drives, plan to stay overnight somewhere
• Share the driving with a traveling companion
• Take extra care driving between midnight and 6 a.m. since your body is most at risk from fatigue during these hours
• Do not speed