Volunteers Have Cats Available For Adoption

JACKSON – Calling All Cats is a cat rescue group made up of volunteers, some of whom work at a spay and neuter clinic. People would drop off unwanted cats. As a group, they save the babies that are left alone, the countless mothers that have had numerous litters and those that are losing or have lost their home.

Cookie came back into the rescue after her papa became sick and she was unable to stay with him. She is friendly and affectionate and loves pets. Cookie gets along with other cats and really loves her foster siblings, because of this she should go to a home with other cats. She is spayed, up to date on all medical and microchipped.

To help humanely lower the feline population, they spay and neuter feral cats and then find homes for the friendly adults and the offspring that have been born. The rescue works extremely hard to find the best homes for cats of all shapes, sizes, colors and ages. While these cats wait, they are cared for in safe, loving, and nurturing foster homes

To start the application process, visit Calling All Cats on Facebook and Petfinder.com

Debated:

Continued From Page 1 speaking with police. The police were responding to a call in the neighborhood stating there was solicitation at homes there including homes marked as “no knock.”

The township’s ordinance prevents, even with a permit, religious groups from soliciting on Sundays from noon to 2 p.m. which fell into the time of the incident at 12 Ivins Drive on April 23.

The body cam footage captures Cuozzo stating to the officers, “I don’t appreciate you hassling our guys. We have a permit to do what we are doing. We are inviting people to church. There is nothing wrong with what we are doing. In fact, there is no time frame in doing what we are doing.”

“What you are talking about is soliciting. We do not solicit,” Cuozzo said. He told the police he responded to the scene after Justin Kissam and two other members of the church were stopped by police, “I felt like making sure that the police did not hassle us. That is why I talked to the chief about it.

I said here is what I don’t want to do, I don’t want you guys confused that we are soliciting.”

He added, “I do not want you guys not to be expecting we are coming so I filled out the permit so you guys would know so we wouldn’t have moments like this but now we won’t have it again, right? Perfect. Nice to see you guys. Please excuse us we are going to continue.”

The officers warned Cuozzo that if they did con- tinue that would be a violation of the ordinance to which the Committeeman responded, “there will be no citing. You are not going to cite us. You are not going to do that alright. You guys are going to exit.”

“You are not our boss. You are not going to tell us what to do,” the officer responded.

Committeeman Cuozzo replied, “Actually, I am your boss.”

The footage also shows an unidentified uninvolved man who said he was a former police officer from Hamilton Township joining Cuozzo. He was also questioning the officers at the scene prior to Meroney’s arrival. Later, the chief asked the man “why are you giving my officers a hard time?”

At the latest Township Committee meeting, Chief Meroney said his officers did what they should do, but that the “no knock” ordinance needs to change.

“The officers that were called for service by residents were going by the current ordinance. I went on scene and in speaking to Committeeman Cuozzo and some other individuals, I did some research. The ordinance is what caused the whole situation,” Meroney said.

“I have seen the video but the ordinance should have been on here (the night’s agenda) because the ordinance is what put everyone - including my officers - in this situation,” he said, stressing his officers “were doing what the ordinance said in good faith.”

The issue stems from solicitation by religious and political groups being permitted to solicit within the community. “I am the one who brought it to counsel (township attorney). I don’t want my officers to be in that predicament again.”

“The ordinance does need to be changed. It was anticipated to be on this agenda but it will definitely be on the next agenda,” township attorney Jean Cipriani said.

During the meeting, Christopher Kissam of Browns Mills, who is the Assistant Pastor of Bible Baptist Church, said he was speaking on behalf of his son Justin who was unable to attend. “That night my son - after being verbally accosted by a grown man who is also a township official, told my son to quote get the “F” off the property and tell your pastor to “F”ing kill himself. My son was then detained by law enforcement officers for allegedly soliciting without a permit.”

“I’m sorry sir but that is not true. You were not at the scene. Your son was cordial. The officers did not detain him,” the chief said from the audience. Cipriani cautioned him not to have an exchange as Kissam had time left in his five-minute public comment before the Committee.

“I am appalled as to how my son was treated,” Kissam added. He had not yet seen the body camera footage.

Chief Meroney returned to the podium to say, “they were not detained. The officers spoke to them and advised them of the township ordinance. They were upholding the ordinance. They were doing their job. You will see when you see the video that they were free to go. I have no political gain in this at all. I am here to protect everybody.”

There was no body camera footage that showed the type of exchange between police and Justin Kissam that was Christopher Kissam had described.

Censure

The resolution for censure was pulled from the agenda as several committee members had not yet seen police body camera footage. Mayor Robert Bowen had the resolution added to the agenda (Debated - See Page 18)