NJ Blue NOW - November 2014

NJ LUENOW Volume 5 ~ Issue 8

November 2014

™

New Jersey’s Independent Voice of Law Enforcement www.NJbluenow.com

Remembrance

Officer Stephen Huczko Jr. In the News PA Manhunt Complete Feature StorY Exclusive Interview with a Newtown Parent

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contents NJ LUENOW Team ™

PUBLISHER Envisage Productions

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Editor-In-Chief Daniel Del Valle Senior Managing Editor John Welsh MANAGING EDITOR Capt. Donna Roman-Hernandez (Ret.)

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EXECUTIVE EDITOR George Beck DESIGN EDITOR Dari Izhaky Copy Editor Capt. Donna Roman-Hernandez (Ret.) writers Matthew A. Peluso, Esq. Officer Jay Martinez Officer Eddie Molina Sergeant Anthony Gangi George Beck Daniel Del Valle Vincent D’Amico Lt. Joseph Pangaro (Ret.) Capt. Donna Roman Hernandez (Ret.) photographers Willis Hulings Officer Marc Loveland Vincent D’Amico WEBSITE/SUBSCRIPTIONS www.njbluenow.com EMAIL njbluenow@gmail.com ADVERTISING 201-943-3800 OFFICE 323 Bergen Blvd.

Fairview, NJ 07022 The opinions and information provided in this magazine are the sole opinions of the editor and contributors and not their employers.

NJBlueNow is published 9 times a year. ©Copyright 2011 NJ BLUE NOW, LLC. All rights reserved. While every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that the information is accurate as of publication date, NJ BLUE NOW, LLC and its employees, agents, clients and distributors shall not be liable for any damages arising from the use of or reliance on the information contained in this publication or from omissions to this publication.

The www.NJBlueNow.com website is powered by ENVISAGE PRODUCTIONS, LLC. Layout & design by Dari Izhaky email: dzeek@optonline.net God Bless Our Troops!

Please share and recycle this magazine.

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40

our editors speak out

Protecting Our Waters

Captain Donna RomanHernandez (Ret.)

feature story

Daniel Del Valle 6

the law

Love the Camera and It 8

Will Love You Back: Law Enforcement Should Embrace Video Evidence

up close

The Eye of the Tiger 12

technology

A Look at High-Tech Weapons 14 and Equipment

communication

Communication is 20

Information Wealth

in the news

Manhunt Complete 22

cover story

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Active School Shooter Coming Soon

EP Envisage Productions

Doing Double Duty 28

30 Echoes from Newtown Women in BluE

Seeking Equality 36

blue Events

40 NJ Honor Legion 42 NJ Police Golf Outing 44 Riding for a Fallen Hero 46 Blessing of the Badge

Sergeant Promotion Hazlet PD Law Enforcement Career Development Course

remembrance

48 Officer Stephen Huczko Jr. blue paws

Law Enforcement Officers 50 and Their Canines

Our editors Speak out

T

he new school year is in full swing, and we are again reminded of the everpresent dangers of active shooters arriving on our campuses. Have we reached a point where yet another school shooting is coming soon?

I believe we need to continue to pay attention to the current and future school safety threats we face. Our children are priceless. Nobody wants a child to die at the hands of an active shooter. This should never happen. Schools must be safe and secure.We should feel comfortable sending our children off to school, to learn, develop, and experience the wonderment of youth. Therefore, I ask our readers, in light of what you will read in this issue about school safety and security, what will you do to help solve this problem?

Each of us plays an important role in combating the rising number of school shooting incidents. Therefore, the next time you are dropping your children off at school, have a look at the potential security threats and weaknesses. Make note of them and speak up.

In this issue we hear from Sandy Hook Elementary School parent Michele Gay, who offers us vital information to prepare and prevent future tragedies. I’d like to thank Michele for becoming a school safety and security advocate after suffering such a great personal loss. We are grateful for your work.

November is a time of appreciation. We at NJ Blue Now honor all of the veterans who served in the US Armed Forces. We salute and support you and all you have done to keep us safe.

I’d also like to thank the writers and staff who keep NJ Blue Now headed in the right direction. May all of you have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving.

It is with great enthusiasm I commend our brothers and sisters in blue who hunted the cowardly savage (whose name is not worth mentioning) who killed Pennsylvania Trooper Cpl. Bryon Dickson and critically wounded Trooper Alex Douglass. Once again it is proven that miscreants out there who kill or harm one of us will be hunted and brought to justice.

And lastly, on December 03, 2014, NJ Blue Now will feature an event like no other to recognize and honor the men and women in New Jersey’s state and local emergency services, SWAT and special operations unit.

Our guest speaker, internationally acclaimed terrorism expert Bernard Kerik, former NYPD Police Commissioner and interim Minister of the Interior of Iraq, will discuss current extremist trends and what we need to know to keep our homeland safe. Also appearing will be Michael Waltz, author of Warrior Diplomat: A Green Beret’s Battles from Washington to Afghanistan. It’s sure to be a memorable experience.

So grab hold of this issue and enjoy. There are a lot of informative articles.

Till next time!

Stay Healthy, Stay Strong, Stay Blue!

T

hanksgiving is a holiday celebrated primarily in the U.S. as a day of giving thanks, an expression of gratitude for the blessings of the harvest and of the preceding year. For most Americans it’s a time to celebrate eating a delicious dinner with family and friends including a long weekend of laziness. For many law enforcement officers, it’s quite the opposite. Working the holidays is part of the job.

During the holiday season, officers handle an increased number of domestics, motor vehicle crashes and more. Although officers are accustomed to dealing with the darker side of life, handling these calls during the holidays makes the job all the more difficult with the contrast between the holiday spirit and the dose of human tragedy.

Officers long to be home celebrating the holidays enjoying a normal life with their families and friends. They want to be emotionally upbeat and cheerful, but it’s difficult to feel that way when officers are responding to alcohol-fueled family battles, refereeing bar fights, processing DWIs or walking tiers.

There are many holiday stressors for officers to deal with both on and off the job. Anxieties in households and in communities heighten during the holiday season and it can become especially dangerous for law enforcement officers when the bad guys think they get free passes for their criminal behavior. The holidays are also a time for short and long time reflection about family and career. Officers are susceptible to melancholy, thinking about the passing of a family member or a member of law enforcement. Job stressors get in the way of feeling joyful about the true meaning of the holidays: being grateful.

We should take some quiet time at Thanksgiving to give thanks that our children and families are healthy and safe. It doesn’t matter how difficult your life is in the moment; there is always something to be thankful for and moments to show gratitude to those we love and love us.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Captain Donna Roman-Hernandez (Ret.) Managing Editor this issue is sponsored by

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Love The Camera And It Will Love You Back:

Law Enforcement Should Embrace Video Evidence

By Matthew A. Peluso, Esq.

“The camera photographs what’s there.”

Jack Nicholson In September, Governor Christie signed a bill that will now require all new municipal police vehicles to be equipped with an incar camera. This bill arose, in part, from the personal experience of a New Jersey assemblyman who had been wrongfully arrested and charged with DWI, only to be completely vindicated by video evidence obtained from the arresting officer’s dashboard camera.

A recording of the assemblyman’s arrest showed multiple discrepancies between the arresting officer’s actual conduct and what the officer later wrote in his reports. The dashboard video evidence confirmed that the assemblyman was illegally stopped and targeted by the arresting officer, who is now facing criminal charges including official misconduct, falsifying a police report and harassment.

Then, in October, a trial judge in Ocean County made rulings with regard to public access to videos obtained from dashboard cameras in police vehicles that, if upheld on appeal, could have a significant effect on the use of such videos in all future trafficrelated prosecutions. In two separate cases, a trial judge ruled that videos of traffic stops from dashboard cameras are not protected from production under 8

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New Jersey’s Open Public Records Act, N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq. (“OPRA”).

In one of the cases, Paff v. The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, an open-government activist sued the Ocean County Prosecutor’s office to obtain the dash-camera videotape of an incident involving a police officer who is alleged to have let his police dog attack and bite a woman after she failed to pull over for a traffic stop. Allegations have made been made that the officer involved tried to cover up the incident, and he was subsequently suspended for official misconduct and aggravated assault.

In Paff, the court found that it was required to address the issue of whether a police car’s dash-cam video of a traffic stop is exempt under OPRA as a “criminal investigatory record” within the meaning of N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1. The prosecutor had argued that N.J.S.A. 47:1A-3 exempted the video from OPRA’s disclosure requirement under the “ongoing investigation exception.” Also, the prosecutor argued that the Attorney General’s Internal Affairs Policy and Procedures Guidelines (IAPP) exempted the requested video from disclosure.

In addition, the prosecutor argued that N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1 exempted the video from disclosure as a “criminal investigatory record.” Finally, the prosecutor argued that, even without any exceptions under OPRA, the driver’s reasonable expectation of privacy justified its withholding of the requested video under the holding in Asbury Park Press v. Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, 374 N.J. Super. 312, 331 (Law Div. 2004).

Similarly, in the other case, Ganzweig v.

Township of Lakewood, the same Ocean County judge again ruled, over the objections of the subject municipality, that dashboard videos are not criminal investigatory records, and, thus, are not exempt from public access under OPRA. The judge found that: “OPRA manifests the State’s public policy of transparency in government. Under OPRA, “government records shall be readily accessible for inspection, copying, or examination by the citizens of this State, with certain exceptions, for the protection of the public interest, and any limitations on the right of access… shall be construed in favor of the public’s right of access…” N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.

“The purpose of OPRA ‘is to maximize public knowledge about public affairs in order to ensure an informed citizenry and to minimize the evils inherent in a secluded process.’” Times of Trenton Publ’g Corp. v. Lafayette Yard Cmty. Dev. Corp., 183 N.J. 519, 535 (2005) (quoting Asbury Park Press, supra, 374 N.J. Super. at 329). Thus, in general, OPRA requires a municipality to disclose any “government record” requested by a member of the public, unless the request falls into one of the statutory exceptions to the otherwise mandatory disclosure. Id. If a government agency objects to production of any record, OPRA requires that the public body produce sufficient specific evidence to support its denial of the information request. Courier News v. Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office, 358 N.J. Super. 373, 382-83 (App. Div. 2003).

One such exception to production under OPRA is that the request seeks a “criminal investigatory record.” N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1.

“When a public agency denies an OPRA request based on the “criminal investigatory record” exception, the public agency “must meet both prongs of the definition (Continued on page 10) To Advertise Call: 201.943.3800

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His primary expertise lies in workplace injuries, with a strong emphasis on worker’s compensation benefits and pension benefits for police officers, correction officers, firefighters and public employees. He currently holds a position as an adjunct professor of criminal justice at Kean University. Prior to his legal career, Mr. LaRocca served as a corrections officer for 9 years in the Union County Department of Public Safety where he received the Award of Conduct Above and Beyond the Call of Duty.

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the law (Continued from page 8) of ‘criminal investigatory reports’ for the documents to be inaccessible to plaintiff under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1, that is, they must ‘not be required by law to be made,’ and they must ‘pertain[] to any criminal investigation or related civil enforcement proceeding.’” O’Shea v. Twp. of West Milford, 410 N.J. Super. 371, 380-81 (App. Div. 2009).

However, the judge in both Paff and Ganzweig denied that exemption, and, despite the arguments of the government entities involved, found that the release of such videos will not jeopardize on-going criminal investigations. The court in Paff found that the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office had failed to meet its burden of showing that the video constitutes a criminal investigatory record under N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1, since, among other things, the requested video was “required” to be made. Also, the judge in both Paff and Ganzweig rejected the government entities objections to production of dashboard videos under the IAPP. The IAPP requires the investigator to examine and retrieve all video recordings, and clearly states that: “The nature and source of internal allegations, the progress of internal affairs investigations, and the resulting materials are confidential information.”

To support its argument, the municipality in Ganzweig relied upon the decision of the Government Records Council (GRC) decision in Blaustein v. Lakewood Police Department, GRC Complaint No. 2011102 (June 26, 2012). The Blaustein decision involved a request to produce police mobile video recordings and radio transmissions for two police complaints. In that decision the GRC ruled that the video recordings were confidential under the IAPP. Accordingly, the municipality in Ganzweig argued that, since IA investigations had been initiated relating to the disputed traffic stop, the video recordings of the stop itself were subsumed within that investigation and, thus, were outside OPRA’s reach under the IAPP guidelines.

However, the judge in Ganzweig ruled that the contemporaneous recording of a traffic stop by a police dashboard camera that was required to be maintained and

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NJBlue now | november 2014

activated during a traffic stop is not exempt from production under OPRA. The court found that: “The fact that an internal affairs investigation may use or mandate the acquisition of the requested records does not change their status as an accessible government record… The recordings sought by plaintiff are a record of the events. They are not the internal affairs investigation.”

Lastly, the court in Paff rejected the prosecutor’s privacy arguments. The trial judge found that the driver involved in the traffic stop did not have any reasonable expectation of privacy to support the withholding of the video. “The video requested under OPRA depicted an incident involving an arrest following a traffic stop.

The content of the video would contribute to the public purpose of OPRA and provide insight into a police officer’s conduct during an arrest.” Further, the court in Paff did not find the recording to be “so horrific or chilling as to warrant its nondisclosure.”

Further, the court ruled that, since the video depicted a motor vehicle traffic stop in a public area, the driver did not have any expectation of privacy.

The government entities involved in the Ocean County cases have vowed to appeal the recent rulings. Regardless, law enforcement officers in New Jersey should clearly be aware that video evidence of their conduct at every traffic stop will now, more than likely, be available to the suspect and defense counsel in every case as part of the discovery process. Therefore, it is important for law enforcement officers to ensure that any summons they issue is supported by the video evidence. Also, to the extent possible, officers should attempt to have the suspect observable on video as much as possible during each stop.

Further, factual assertions made in police reports will have to be consistent with the video evidence established by dashboard cameras. Consequently, law enforcement officers should review the video tapes of their traffic stops in preparation of their written reports, and should refer with specificity to the suspect’s conduct in the video that supports the charges made in any issued complaints.

enforcement officers in New Jersey should fully embrace video technology, since it will help to significantly reduce false allegations of officer abuse and misconduct. Between the recent law mandating dashboard videos in all new police vehicles, and the reality that a similar law will more than likely be passed regarding mandatory use of bodycameras by law enforcement officers in this state, the writing is clearly on the wall, so to speak. So cops should try to love the camera, and, in turn, hope that it will love them back.

Matthew A. Peluso, Esq. is an attorney based in Princeton. He has over 20 years of experience in numerous types of complex litigation, including employment, insurance and business law.

Mr. Peluso has successfully represented police officers in employment and contract disputes involving wrongful termination, failure to promote, race, gender and age discrimination, hostile work environment and whistleblower actions. Mr. Peluso is a graduate of the University of Miami School of Law and George Washington University. He can be reached at: 609-306-2595. His e-mail address is: mpelusoesq@live.com. His experience can be reviewed on Linkedin.com and on his firm website: http://mpelusoesq.webs.com.

The opinions expressed by Mr. Peluso in his article are not intended to provide legal advice. Anyone interested should consult a qualified attorney prior to making any significant employment or legal decision.

NJ LUENOW

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up close

The Eye of the Tiger

By P.O. Jay Martinez, Deputy SWAT Commander, Certified Tactical and Academy Instructor

Willpower creates victories

2014 has been a year that can easily be dismissed for some of our favorite local sports teams.

The more I watch them perform, the more I believe they are simply getting overmatched on the diamond, frozen pond, hardwood and gridiron. Having been a former athlete and, now, as a current spectator, I can easily tell you when a team is just being physically dominated. You can look at the score, but that can, usually, only provide you with half the story. We need to take a look towards the other half of the provided proof given to us by the victorious team. Compared to the losing team, you will notice that the victorious team did several things to a higher level and with a greater sense of urgency. They also sacrificed more, didn’t take short cuts and believed in their ability. Thus the slogan, “Winners are only willing to do what losers are not.”

One of the most important intangibles in stern competition is a team’s willpower.

Willpower is forged in the baptism of fire.

Once we have gained a strong will, our attitude and behavior will strengthen. An individual’s willpower cannot be bought, leased or borrowed. It can only be created in the heat of the summer, or in the sharpness of the January air. Willpower is best built on a long, lonely dusty trail, with rusty pull-ups bars, swaying-squeaky heavy bags, and an endless set of stairs. The bigger the challenge, the more willpower will repay you.

Willpower can only be honed through the type of intense, rigorous and quality training that convinces a person, or a team, that they cannot be defeated. “Willpower road” is not for everyone. Some hop off of it as soon as they encounter the nearest exit. Then there are others who will silently allow “willpower road” to unleash its fury on them and accept it without a single complaint. Once you have experienced “willpower road” and digested its goodness, nothing will ever feel the same. The person who has sacrificed, bled and cried his way through it has, within himself, a special soul. He walks with a special bounce to his step; he is in possession of a special radiance 12

NJBlue now | november 2014

and a certain look in his eye.

Fluff style training is annihilating us

Lately, we are experiencing the type of attacks on law enforcement personnel that have us backpedaling and searching for answers on the type of training we have received.

I refer to this type of training as, “all meat and no potatoes.” This type of training has been hollowed out and serves no functional combat purpose.

Recent attacks •A x wielding maniac attacks NYPD officers •M an armed with AR-15 kills three sheriffs in California • Former

Marine and combat vet kills a responding police officer with AR-15 in California.

Any experienced tactical trainer knows that these aren’t your average types of attacks.

These attacks possess specific factors that demand a special brand of training to defeat them. Equally as demanding is the importance of trainers spending quality time discussing the valuable essence of the warrior mindset, the physical conditioning that is needed and the possession of the proper equipment. Have we truly lost our eye of the tiger?

Gaining the eye of the tiger again

Do we find comfort in not paying the price that only reality based, robust training can offer? With a tempest on the horizon, have we grown soft and lost our willpower?

Collectively, as unit trainers, we must never lose sight of the purpose for solid and effective training. We must always remember that good solid and effective training provides a strong warrior mindset, positive muscle memory, stresses the urgency of physical conditioning, and provides the trainee with the professional approach of donning all of his protective and tactical equipment.

“The road to success runs uphill.”

Willie Davis The beauty of serving in a military line unit is that everything you do possesses a fundamental purpose that correlates to combat. From the reveille call to lights out, you exist in a bubble that has one sharp function and that function is referred to as combat readiness. Readiness is created through miles of running, hours of shooting and moving, hand-to-hand combat and unit exercises that foster and create an espirit de corps.

I realize we are not a military unit, but after squeamishly watching ISIS crucifixion and beheading videos, I also realize that the U.S. Marines or Army Rangers will not ascend onto our streets to defend our communities if a Mumbai style attack should rear its ugly head. In closing, if we expect to extinguish formidable and life-threatening attacks, we cannot allow ourselves to be dominated by an opponent who possesses a stronger will than we do. The key to victory is the assembly and training of professional peacekeepers that have the mental and physical tools to prevail.

Stay safe, note the following training at Essex County Police Academy on November 10 & 24, Tactical Operation Planning and Body Language and pre-indicators of violence.

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Written by Jay Martinez, Husband-Dad, Cop and former Recon Marineooorah! Look out for Warning Order LLC; we will be conducting dual training courses in Essex County, NJ, “Tactical Operational Planning & Body language, preindicators of violence. www.warningorder.net

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technology

A Look at

Part 1 of a 2 part series

High-Tech Weapons and Equipment Once Considered Sci-Fi, Now Becoming Reality

By Officer Eddie Molina

A

s law enforcement, we usually have an admiration and appreciation for handguns, rifles and other weaponry and equipment. Not a creepy obsession, but more in the line of a respectful relationship between the officer and his weapon. Law enforcement personnel may also have a greater understanding of the effect and power a particular weapon can have when used.

We treat these items with total respect, provide regular maintenance on our own personal weaponry, and handle them carefully at all times. Since we are not in Hollywood, you will never see a law enforcement professional point a handgun at a target using a sideways technique.

Instead, we use proper technique, form and judgment. These three factors are essential when it comes to fulfilling our law enforcement objective.

That being said, as professionals, who have to occasionally use weapons, tools and equipment as part of our regular duties, it is common practice that we acquire a personal interest in the owning and operating of our personal weapon.

Each department surely has their own Tackleberry (from the movie Police Academy) who owns an arsenal of handguns, rifles and tactical gear. But for the average officer, a general personal interest is enough for us to occasionally pick up a handgun magazine, check out an online article about weaponry used across the world, or spend extra time at the uniform store browsing through the glass cases near the register.

So, in regards to this article, I took the time to look up some of the most interesting weapons, equipment and law enforcement tools that may not be known by most people. Just keep in mind that some of the

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Researched By Jeomar Alicea featured items may never have been used in a law enforcement capacity and may still be in the testing phase. With that in mind, they are only meant to peak your interest and curiosity since--chances are--you appreciate the craftsmanship of todays and tomorrows weapons.

Self-Correcting Laser Rifle Sight

If you’ve taken a moment to think about this, you have probably already concluded that it’s a Rifle Sight that makes corrections for the shooter. In order to avoid miscalculations, engineers at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a Rifle Sight that makes slight adjustments to the shooters barrel.

According to Rebecca Boyle of Popular Science Magazine, “It works by measuring slight variations across a rifle barrel. High caliber rifles usually have a series of grooves on the exterior, called flutes, which help reduce weight and dissipate heat, allowing the barrel to cool off more quickly after firing a round. ORNL researchers added glass optical fibers to these grooves. Laser diodes send a beam of light into the optical fibers, which split it in two directions, along the top and side of the barrel.

From there, algorithms calculate the sights to the position of the barrel. Additionally, environmental conditions are also taken into account and adjustments are automatically made.”

Although most people would think that humidity and temperature would have no effect on anything as small as a bullet, they are wrong. In regards to the accuracy of an artillery explosive, as an artilleryman in the Army, I can attest to

the complicated calculations needed to compensate for temperature, humidity, barrel imperfections, and even the rotation of the earth. In this case, a bullet needs far more accuracy since it is usually targeting something relatively small in size.

These corrections can be used for distances of up to two miles. The farther the distance, the greater affect an imperfection has on the trajectory. This technology does have the potential to be used in a law enforcement capacity, but, as of now, has yet to be employed.

Hyper Stealth or Quantum Stealth Invisible Cloaks

By reading the title of this item, there’s a good chance the movie Harry Potter came to mind--and rightfully so. It is practically what it sounds like. It is a garment made of a special fabric that has the ability to bend light around an object and give people the illusion of invisibility. Although the Hyper Stealth cloak doesn’t render the wearer completely invisible, it is effective enough to throw off almost any suspect. This technology has virtually limitless military applications and also has the potential to aid law enforcement agencies as well.

For example, if a law enforcement sniper has to close the distance between him or herself and a suspect, this cloak would allow the officer to inch toward the target while remaining nearly undetectable. It could also serve in a limitless reconnaissance and surveillance capacity as well.

(Continued on page 16) To Advertise Call: 201.943.3800

technology (Continued from page 14)

The Corner Shot

The Corner Shot is a high tech weapon that enables its shooter to ‘look around a corner’ without exposing him or herself to potential targets that may have dangerous intentions. The operator’s shooting accuracy is improved due to the laser guided camera aiming system and the screen crosshairs. The camera system also provides a live feed to the command post that can aid in better decision making and overall mission accomplishments. Between the shooter, the Corner Shot camera, and other assets located in the area, the departments are given greater flexibility in quelling potential threats with the least amount of force- this of course is every department’s main concern. More information can be found at www.thecornershot.com

NJ LUENOW

The Metal Storm Sentry Gun

This struck me as the most bad-ass (for lack of a better term) weapon system that is still in design. Bottom line--it can shoot at a rate of a million rounds per minute.

Now, I can’t honestly imagine a legitimate law enforcement objective that would call for this type of weaponry, but who cares. It can still shoot a million rounds per minute.

According to futureweapons.org, “Metal Storm has no moving parts because all the bullets are fired electronically.

As opposed to conventional machine guns, metal storm ammunition is case-less, and, therefore, there are no spent, or ejected cartridges. The bullets are pre-sealed in a stack configuration inside the barrels. The word stack means that all the bullets are one behind the other and the barrel itself

forms the ammo magazine. Thus, the magazines do not need to be reloaded; the operator just replaces the preloaded barrels.”

Now, although some of these items may, or may not be practical for law enforcement application, at the very least, they are certainly interesting. So, next time you are out shopping for your next gadget, consider one of these items--Who says you couldn’t use a million rounds-per-minute gun in your inventory?

Make sure to check out Part 2 of this series in the next issue of NJ Blue Now, as I research even more high-tech weapons and equipment for your reading pleasure. Stay tuned!

™

Magazine

New Jersey Blue Now and Envisage Productions invites all the men and women in New Jersey’s state and local police emergency services, SWAT and special operations units, to be recognized and honored as our guest on Wednesday December 03, 2014.

With the increasing threats of global terror, there has never been a more important time in our country’s national security than today.

Please join us for dinner and an evening of networking amongst our state’s emergency services and SWAT team members, who on a daily basis go above and beyond the call of duty. Our guest speaker, internationally acclaimed terrorism expert Bernard Kerik, former NYPD Police Commissioner and interim Minister of the Interior of Iraq, will discuss current extremists trends and what we need to know to keep our homeland safe.

Also appearing will be Michael Waltz, author of Warrior Diplomat: A Green Beret’s Battles from Washington to Afghanistan. Michael Waltz is a lieutenant colonel in the Special Forces (reserve component) and former commander of a Special Forces Company. He worked as a policy advisor to Vice President Cheney and served as a Green Beret in the mountains of Afghanistan, directly implementing the strategy in the field that he helped devise in Washington.

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communication

Communication is Information Wealth

By Sergeant Anthony Gangi

I

nformation brings about situational awareness. In order for emergency personnel to be more proficient, emergency personnel must have the information needed in a timely manner.

When an emergency situation occurs, some departments may find themselves limited on information that can compromise a successful response. A collective effort of information must be maintained in a manner that provides quick distribution to those leading the emergency response. This collaboration is defined by the multiple departments that can provide aid during an emergency situation.

Jaime Barrios, retired Lieutenant of the Hackensack Police Department believes that “Efficient, reliable and correct communication during all types of crisis will facilitate the desired goal. Nowadays, with the ability to coordinate efforts based on real time, up to the minute changes, emergency response personnel can arrive on a scene with the knowledge needed to be truly effective.” It’s through multiple levels of communication that information is shared. Labors to maintain effective communication during an emergency situation, in which essential information is passed fluidly, can be seen as the heart of governmental agencies like FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). FEMA’s primary purpose is to coordinate disaster and catastrophic emergency responses.

FEMA’s use of effective communication between departments and agencies helps to ensure a more useful response.

Today, as more emergency personnel are 20

NJBlue now | november 2014

being trained in ICS (Incident Command System) 100 and 700 courses, we become more aware of the importance of effective information sharing and communication.

ICS is a FEMA sponsored program that aids in the coordination of departmental emergency response teams. ICS training is offered online through the FEMA website.

The Incident Command System is an onscene management concept that was created through a collective effort by multiple

agencies. Through proper coordination, ICS limits the amount of people reporting to one supervisor and provides all agencies with faster communication between departments by advising all agencies to get involved in the same type of communication. It further maintains ongoing reliable incident information, and offers a structure to coordinate planning among agencies. Multiple agencies distribute all information to the Incident Commander who is responsible for all aspects of the response, including developing incident objectives and managing all incident operations. This provides the coordinated efforts needed to successfully handle the emergency situation.

During an emergency, the rapid flow of information becomes a major tool in regards to a well-prepared operational response.

Every day technological advancements help ensure the information needed rapidly reaches those who are sent to respond.

These advancements include a secured central database in which information gets stored from multiple agencies and departments, moment-to-moment updates on critical, need-to-know information, and cross level communication between multiple department and agencies nationwide.

As a law enforcement professional, the ability to respond depends solely on the information provided. Nowadays, with computer aided dispatch, officers in the field will attain, within seconds, information that will increase the officer’s knowledge and safety. Dispatch officers will also have within their grasp a Geographic Information System (GIS) that quickly locates and sends coordinates and information during an emergency. With this level of intelligence, the emergency response becomes more proficient and, most importantly, more resourceful. Law enforcement personnel nationwide have utilized this web of information to detect, prevent and respond.

Take for example, in the event of an inmate escape, the immediate dissemination of info can aid in the swift apprehension of the inmate. “If we are going to effectively apprehend the inmate, we must maintain communication and information sharing with multiple departments. Information in some cases can be more effective than a tracking bloodhound,” said Senior Correctional Officer Joseph Calabrese.

To Advertise Call: 201.943.3800

Clearly, communications with multiple departments is an approach worth considering. The police portable radio has proven this throughout the years.

In many cases, broadcasting messages over the portable radio through multiple-agency channels has proven to be very helpful in the apprehension of a fleeing criminal. Information can be mightier than the sword.

The more law enforcement is able to keep up with technology, the more likely they will be able to remain a step ahead of the bad guy. Another good example to illustrate the power behind shared information by multiple departments is apparent when searching for a missing child. Amber Alerts can be given on a national level. These Amber Alerts rapidly relay the message to the public with a description of the missing child and, if possible, the suspect involved in the kidnapping.

Multiple agencies respond to the alert and a nationwide search commences.

For agencies that choose to outsource this level of advance communication, they will find that more outside companies are evolving in a manner that suits the department’s needs.

Companies, like New World Systems, believe their affiliation with public safety associations, like the International Association of the Chiefs of Police, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, National Sheriff ’s Association, and National Fire Protection Association has given them the ability to meet the ever changing needs of the industry.

They stand by their commitment to provide a strong partnership that begins before the installation of the software and lasts through the life of the software. Law enforcement personnel are able to voice their concerns and then watch as changes are made in a manner that suits the need of the agency.

Information sharing is essential and provides the community with a

greater sense of protection. As information is shared, the power of emergency response personnel will strengthen. A collective effort by multiple agencies will decrease the response time and increase the manpower. Local, federal and state departments need to embrace the change. They need to take note of the current trends in advance communication and make the attempt to move forward. The safety of the emergency response personnel relies heavily on the advantages that are provided through technology.

As for law enforcement, criminals are evolving every day and their techniques to overcome the law are centered on technological advancements. Criminals are finding ways to electronically track drug shipments, monitor law enforcement personnel, open bank accounts that span the globe, and, overall, commit crimes that break away from local jurisdictions. The need for law enforcement personnel to respond in a manner that is effective will highly rely on the information that is gathered from multiple agencies on a national level.

On an added note, with terrorism on the rise, the need for emergency response personnel to competently act as one has never been higher.

The ability to share information on a grand scale, in a rapid fluid manner, is paramount to stopping an organized terror attack. Embrace the change and act now. Don’t wait.

For over twelve years, Anthony Gangi has worked in the correctional setting dealing with both male and female offenders. He served on the custody level and has moved through the ranks from line officer to supervisor. He has a degree in psychology and a true passion for the written word.

YOUR TREATMENT ALTERNATIVE FOR SLEEP APNEA AND SNORING

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snoring can have many causes, the most common being obstructive sleep apnea (osa). it is estimated that 70% of the people who snore loudly suffer from this condition.

Obstructive sleep ApneA (OSA) is recognized as repeated episodes of cessation in breathing during sleep. This happens because our muscles relax during sleep and then gravity pulls the airway closed.

Momentary suffocation develops producing excessive stress on the body. Some common signs of sleep apnea are excessive daytime sleepiness, loud or disruptive snoring, gasping or choking during sleep, depression and irritability.

OSA can cause memory loss, headaches, irritability, depression, sexual dysfunction, and impaired concentration.

Sufferers are at higher risk of stroke, heart attacks, congestive heart failure, hypertension, and are most likely to be involved in accidents at the workplace or while driving. They are twice as likely to die in their sleep. If left untreated, their life expectancy is 55.

The good news is, there are solutions available, and the sooner you or a loved one takes the steps to get screened, tested and treated, the better the outcome. By taking action, patients’ sleep problems will be a nightmare of the past as they not only improve the restfulness and length of their sleep, but also their overall health and quality of life.

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in the news

Manhunt

Complete

Capturing the cowardly savage who ambushed Pennsylvania Trooper Corporal Bryon Dickson II and Trooper Alex T. Douglass.

By George Beck

Trooper Corporal Bryon Dickson II

O

n September 12, 2014 at 10:50 p.m., Trooper Corporal Bryon Dickson II, 38 and Trooper Alex T. Douglass, 31 were leaving the State Police Barracks in Blooming Grove, Pike County when they were ambushed by an unknown gunman hidden somewhere in the darkness. They had no chance to defend themselves. Corporal Dickson, a married father of two, and Marine Corps veteran, was killed; Trooper Douglas was critically wounded.

As the breaking news dominated the news cycle, law enforcement was fit to be tied.

This craven act was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Law enforcement had had enough.

By the time Corporal Dickson was killed, 2014 had so far seen 75 officers die in the line of duty, 33 deaths as a result from gunfire.

We had been pushed to a breaking point.

Come hell or high water, the degenerate responsible for killing Corporal Dickson and wounding Trooper Douglass was going to be brought to justice, even if that meant chasing him to the ends of the earth.

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Trooper Alex T. Douglass

In the immediate days following the attack, Pennsylvania troopers and assisting agencies trudged through the surrounding wooded areas searching for the coward who ambushed these troopers, while locally and nationwide the law enforcement community roared.

By Monday morning, September 15, 2014, a resident phoned the Blooming Grove Barracks and reported a slightly submerged green Jeep Cherokee that appeared suspicious. It was a much-needed lead.

Through this abandoned Jeep, a suspect was identified and within a few days confirmed, and shortly thereafter added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list. In an exhausting manhunt that spanned 48 days, law enforcement eventually apprehended the fugitive.

In a fitting end, the Pennsylvania State Police had a special pair of handcuffs setaside at all times with an on-duty member of the Blooming Grove barracks.

They were Corporal Dickson’s.

A sergeant who worked with Corporal Dickson delivered the cuffs in Dickson’s patrol vehicle, and slapped them on the criminal’s wrists before transporting him back to the barracks in Dickson’s patrol vehicle.

The brave men and women in blue who stayed committed to bringing this lunatic to justice must be commended. All of law enforcement is proud of their efforts.

They’ve once again reassured us that justice will be brought to those who attack and kill our brothers and sisters in blue. We will not tolerate this cowardly behavior. In the end, justice must prevail.

Let’s continue to pray Corporal Dickson is resting peacefully and for Trooper Alex Douglass’ speedy recovery. May God bless their families, the Pennsylvania State Police, and all of law enforcement. Be safe out there. United we are strong. Job well done.

If you would like to submit stories, pictures, or suggestions, send us an email at:

njbluenow@gmail.com

To Advertise Call: 201.943.3800

ry o t s r e v o c

active shooter coming soon Are We Prepared?

By Daniel Del Valle, Anthony Gangi, and George Beck

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To Advertise Call: 201.943.3800

The Rate of School Shootings Is Climbing

As the 2014 school year reconvened after summer recess, within the first two months, there were seven school shootings that left seven teens dead, and six others wounded at different schools across the country. If that sounds alarming, consider there have been 34 school shootings so far this year and there is no indication the pace will slow down. January was the most active with thirteen incidents, whereas May so far was the deadliest, claiming the lives of seven students. The evidence indicates the number of school shootings is growing exponentially.

We as law enforcement officers must continue to train, prepare and do whatever we can to combat the increasing number of school shootings. Have we reached a point where school shootings and mass homicides on campuses across the America are commonplace?

have been made with regard to training personnel once the incident occurs.

These programs have been centered on preparation and have dealt mainly within the realm of reaction. Programs like ALICE (Alert Lockdown Inform Counter Evacuate) are centered directly on the need to react and, therefore, limit our ability to see ahead and prevent.

Prevention is taking a step in the right direction. The days of being only reactive must be put behind us. Action is imperative.

The time has come to recognize that being reactive without prevention is no longer a viable option. We as law enforcement are tired of hearing excuses and beliefs that it can’t happen. We don’t think that way. We train like it will happen and pray it never does. We want the public to see the seriousness and potential of a school shooting in our community. We endeavor to educate them in hopes to shatter the “It can’t happen here” mentality.

The website Stoptheshootings.org lists 387 school shootings that occurred in the 21 years between 1992 and 2013. Yet, in the span of 228 years from the first recorded incident in 1764 up until 1992, an estimated 171 shootings occurred at schools across America. In other words, in only 21 short years, school shootings spiked 126% higher than all recorded such events for the previous 228 years.

“What if three guys with training, practice and a plan walked into an elementary school.

It’s going to be a massacre like never seen before.”

A closer look at the evidence also reveals that school shootings can happen anywhere.

These crimes span across the country, from Newtown, Connecticut all the way to Moses, Washington. Schools present the attacker with a target-rich environment that will have an emotional toll both locally and nationally.

Prevention saves lives. On the same day a tragedy occurred at the Sandy Hook school in Newtown, Connecticut, an incident was prevented in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

The collective response by the community ensured that the tragedy that happened elsewhere would not happen there. The welcoming environment and education that was encouraged by the school allowed students with information to report their findings.

The evidence is indisputable: An active shooter is coming soon somewhere on our American campuses. It’s our responsibility to work together to do what we can to prepare and prevent future attacks. We have no greater responsibility.

Prevention vs. Reaction Law enforcement has made multiple efforts to assure the public that the schools are safe. These efforts include everything from increasing security measures to carrying concealed weapons on campus. Efforts

We know that the overwhelmingly majority of active shooters plan their attacks. These attacks are statistically not impulsive and patterns could have been detected through a shared effort with law enforcement and the school community. To detect these patterns, a partnership must be maintained between students, teachers, administration, parents, the community, and lawenforcement officials. This is a method that

has proven to work.

We Now Face Potential Increased Security Risks

As if the skyrocketing number of school shootings is not alarming enough, the potential for the problem to get worse is being predicted by Bernard Kerik, the former police commissioner of New York, who helped rebuild the city in the wake of the September 11th attack. Kerik is a nationally renowned expert on security risks and threats. Kerik believes the possibility of the killing of students at school campuses across the country by American and foreign nationals is real and probable in the near future and should not be taken lightly. He’s seen what is going on in other countries, where the terrorist group ISIS is murdering children. We recently spoke with Kerik, and his vitally important message is worth considering.

“The biggest risk is that a series of small, coordinated terror attacks could occur in multiple schools across the country,” Kerik said. “If tomorrow morning at an elementary school somewhere say in New Jersey, Indiana, California, and Georgia, you have four teams of three assailants walk into the school and start assassinating children with automatic weapons, or one holds people at bay while the other two start decapitating kids, it’s going to have a worse negative impact on American than 9/11. It will send an enormous shock wave through the country,” Kerik fears.

“Take for example the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut,” Kerik said. “That guy had no real training, no practice, no plan, and look what happened. What if three guys with training, practice and a plan walked into an elementary school. It’s going to be a massacre like never seen before.”

Kerik bases his assessment on what is going on with ISIS and other similar terror groups in other parts of the world. “The savage brutality is worse than anything I’ve seen to date. I’ve watched every video, every execution, and nothing disturbs me more than watching them take 5-, 6-, 7-, 8- year old boys, lining them up before a pit, and then slaughtering them with an AK-47 or standing there cutting their heads off.”

N JBlue now | november 2014

25

cover story Kerik tells how he doesn’t fear another attack with airplanes like on 9/11. “We’ve made a lot of advances in security and intelligence to combat another coordinated attack on America using airplanes,” he said.

“It’s the other stuff I worry about, the stuff that is easily doable and would hardly cost anything.”

Kerik tells how he bases his fear on the reality that perhaps nearly 1000 of the activists involved with ISIS in Syria and Iraq are Americans who went over there on American passports.

“The people who are in Iraq and Syria have been doing this for six months. They are American citizens. They are over there doing what most of the terrorists do. If they come back to our country, do you think they’re going to work at UPS?” Kerik goes on to remind us, “We have to remember, we are fighting an enemy who plans on dying for their cause.”

When asked what Kerik would say to those who are against securing schools with armed guards, or ballistic doors and windows, or security cameras, or other technological security devices to prepare schools should such an attack take place, concerned this would compromise the learning environment, he expressed disbelief that people would take this approach.

“I don’t understand their argument,” he said. “It makes no sense. Nowadays the technology is advanced and unless you tell the children and point it out to them, they will have no idea it’s even there. Being prepared is what’s going to save lives.”’

Recently, a threat of cutting the heads off elementary school children in three communities in Johnston, Warwick, and Cranston, Rhode Island has frightened parents, teachers, and the community to their core. The attendance record speaks directly to the horror the parents underwent. In the immediate aftermath of the threats, the Johnston elementary school reported an absenteeism rate of 43 percent, with students in high school and middle school also staying home. One-third of the students in Warwick were absent. Cranston schools had 39 percent absenteeism 26

NJBlue now | november 2014

The empty halls are a clear representation of the creditability of the threat the parents and students perceive. We believe they have good cause to take this and every threat seriously.

We pray horrifying events like a planned terrorist attack at our schools never happens. But for now, we must be aware of the possibility. Had we known terrorists would have used commercial airplanes to attack us on September 11, 2001 we could have implemented all of the present airport security procedures and flight security measures prior to the attack. After all, secured cabin doors that separate the pilots from the passengers were installed after the attack and have since been effective.

“It’s the other stuff I worry about, the stuff that is easily doable and would hardly cost anything.”

Identify School Security Risks and Speak Up

As we have shown, as long as school is in session, active shooters are arriving at school campuses across our great country.

We must acknowledge these active shooters are coming soon and continue to take the necessary steps to address this uncomfortable reality.

Schools also now face a potential increase in security risks from terrorists, who have no regard for a child’s life. Terrorist groups like ISIS hate America. These zealots know we take exceptional pride in the education of our youth. They know attacking our children can have a nationally crippling effect, worse than 9/11. Take a moment to think about the horror that consumed the Rhode Island parents, who feared if they had sent their children to school a savage killer would cut off their child’s head. Also consider for a moment if the children who were brutally murdered at their schools in Iraq and Syria could speak, what would they tell us? We believe they would tell us to be vigilant and remain on the offensive so that no other child should ever face such a horrific death.

At this point, we thankfully do not have any incidents of terror groups like ISIS attacking our schools, and we pray we never do, but we believe knowledge and awareness on the national and local level is paramount. We offer Kerik’s perspective to promote awareness. We believe burying our heads in the sand and pretending it can’t happen is what will ultimately cause the most devastation.

We cannot sit idle and wait for active shooters to arrive. We must remain on the offensive and keep working toward prevention and preparedness. We commend teachers, staff, and school and community leaders who take school safety and security seriously. Nationwide, our schools will become safer and more secure when we shatter the “It can’t happen here” mentality, and take steps to protect the children.

The next time you are on patrol or dropping your children off at school, have a look at potential security threats and weaknesses.

Make note of them and then take action.

If the main doors are not secured, speak up and insist something be done. If there is no police or security officer on campus, discuss creative ways to make this happen.

If the police department does not have the staffing to assign an officer, we believe hiring an armed retired police officer is the best alternative. In the unfortunate incident of an active shooter arriving on the school campus, only an armed officer will be prepared to eliminate the threat before the shooter advances further into the school building.

As the media and politicians continue to bash law enforcement on the national stage, let’s focus less on their criticism and more on what needs to be done to protect our children. We believe the protection and safety of our children is our greatest responsibility.

For now, let’s keep working together to combat the reality that somewhere on a school campus across our great country, an active shooter is coming soon.

To Advertise Call: 201.943.3800

N JBlue now | november 2014

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Protecting Our Waters Doing Double Duty

By Vincent D’Amico

A

fter Mike Witte and Jason Jablonski finish their workweek as first responders, they wear uniforms as reservists in the U.S. Coast Guard.

Witte and Jablonski are both 10-year law enforcement veterans. Witte serves with the NYPD and Jablonski with the NJ Juvenile Justice Commission.

other hazards to ensure our waters are safe and secure.

Witte and Jablonski have proudly served with the U.S. Coast Guard for the past fifteen years. They constantly receive training from first aid to law enforcement investigations. As U.S. Coast Guard officers they have maritime powers to board boats and check for illegal activity, suspicious conduct, proper safety equipment, and

In our modern times, the U.S. Coast Guard invested a great deal of money to outfit their boats with the most affiliated electronic devices to monitor our waterways, and increase the services each unit could perform. They also spared no expense to make these boats as safe as possible for reservists to perform their duties around

Witte and Jablonski have handled all types of water rescues and emergencies including capsized vessels with stranded boaters.

These men go above and beyond their call of duty.

The crew Jason Jablonski, Mike Witte, Anthony Thomas and Cesar Bellido

the clock seven days a week.

I was given the honor to see first hand the professional job Witte and Jablonski do as U.S. Coast Guard reservists. To say the least, I was fascinated and impressed. I am proud of them. They are humble and modest and diligently perform their duties selflessly.

When I asked why they continue to work double duty serving with the U.S. Coast Guard, their response was simple: They like to help people.. I commend both officers for the work they are doing to protect all of us. It’s officers like these who make all law enforcement proud.

Photo credits: Vincent D’Amico

Cesar Bellido and Mike Witte, Anthony Thomas in the back of the boat.

Left Jason Jablonski, Right Mike Witte

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NJBlue now | november 2014

To Advertise Call: 201.943.3800

Scott.Alexander@nm.com

N JBlue now | november 2014

29

feature story

Echoes

By Lt. Joseph Pangaro (Ret.)

from Newtown

T

he early morning of December 14, 2012 in Newtown, Connecticut was filled with promise. The holidays were just around the corner. All of the festivities, food, lights, pageants and joy that are part of our national heritage were unfolding. The holidays are a magical time for children. It’s a time of wonderment and innocence.

I first met Michele several months after the school shooting at one of her speaking events. She and her friend, Alissa Parker, another Newtown mom who also lost an angel, were invited to speak to local law enforcement and educators about their experience and lessons learned as parents who lost children in the Sandy Hook shooting.

Newtown is a small community in Fairfield County Connecticut. It boasts a population of roughly 28,000 residents without any type of serious crime problem. The families that live there work hard to make their lives and the lives of their children better. The tree-lined streets with rows of lovely houses depict the quintessential America town.

When Michele and Alissa first arrived everyone in the room froze in respectful silence. The moderator introduced the mothers to the crowd and we all sat motionless, not sure what we were about to hear or how we should react. Most of us in the crowd are also parents and this tragedy had affected all of us. Then they began to speak.

What the residents didn’t know was that they shared their beautiful community with a demon.

The demon (whose name I will not mention) was a tortured soul suffering from a mental disease. He was removed from the outside world, living in a fantasy world of violent blood-drenched video games. On that quiet December morning this demon decided to unleash his dark side on the community.

First, he killed his mother in her sleep for reasons we will never know. Next, he traveled to the Sandy Hook Elementary School to finish his mission of pain and death. He attacked the school without warning, invaded the sanctity of the innocent and in a five minute rampage forever changed the lives of so many, including the twenty children and six adults who lost their lives.

Michele Gay’s family suffered an unimaginable loss that day. Michele’s beautiful daughter Josephine “Joey” was one of the angels taken by the killer.

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First they spoke about their children telling personal stories that pulled at our heartstrings. Then they told us details about the attack that most people did not know and still today are not fully aware of.

I watched grown men and women holding back sobs, twisting in their seats to shake the stress off. It was hard to hear the facts and not imagine the scene as it unfolded.

I was amazed by these two brave mothers.

I couldn’t imagine talking about such an event only a few months after the fact, but once I heard them speak, I realized that every word was a way of fighting back. They were strong and eloquent and it was clear the love for their children was their motivating force. By speaking out and trying to help other schools, parents, children and communities, they found strength and in doing so provided a way to honor their lost children.

Michele and Alissa went on to create a school safety non-profit foundation called Safe and Sound. They are joined by nationally

renowned safety professionals and travel the country, visiting and speaking to school communities. Michele is now a recognized national school safety advocate. I asked to participate in this interview to bring her message and experiences to our readers.

Joe Pangaro: Michele, you and your family were at the epicenter of a terrible incident at the Sandy Hook School. Can you let our readers know who you are and how you have turned this tragedy into a positive?

Michele Gay: Yes, we lost our youngest daughter, Josephine (Joey) at Sandy Hook School in the shootings on December 14, 2012. Being Joey’s mother was one of the greatest privileges of my life. She was an extraordinary little person, full of love and joy. As her mom, a former elementary school teacher, and the parent of her two schoolaged sisters, working to prevent school tragedies like ours has become my mission.

I co-founded a non-profit foundation, Safe and Sound: A Sandy Hook Initiative with Alissa Parker, mother of Emilie, one of Joey’s classmates and friends who was also killed that morning. With the support of other parents and the Sandy Hook Community members, we’ve reached out to the nation that supported us through this tragedy. Our humble initiative is now a national effort to empower school communities to make their schools safer. We visit communities all over the country to speak and assist in the development of improved safety plans, practices, and curricula.

As someone who was directly related to the Sandy Hook School shooting, what do you believe are the most important lessons that police and schools can learn?

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feature story

(Continued from page 30)

Collaboration: A multi-disciplinary safety team comprised of representatives from student, parent, educator, administrator, police, fire, and mental health groups is essential. Working together and making use of a variety of perspectives and disciplines is the only way to ensure responsible and comprehensive safety for our schools. Without conscious collaboration, it is too easy to assume that someone else is taking care of that or to fall into complacency and denial. Multidisciplinary teams can establish protocols, educate the community, develop adequate communications and help prevent violence.

Why did you start this organization?

Alissa and I both immediately saw the need to better prepare our schools for emergencies. As we lived through the day at the Sandy Hook firehouse, we learned a lot about what was needed and what we could do better. We couldn’t believe that in this day and age, decades after so many school tragedies, our schools were no better prepared. The responses of law enforcement and emergency services had certainly evolved, but school communities had made precious little progress in safety education, measures and practices.

Education and Training: Simply teaching students and staff how to respond in an emergency can save lives. I often point to the example of fire safety. The fire safety campaign of the past 56 years has saved countless lives. No one has died in a school fire since 1958. The education and training for staff and students in other areas of safety will no doubt save more.

What are the goals of the organization?

In short, to empower school communities to make their schools safer through collaboration, education, and practical problem solving. We aim to provide the best tools and resources, expert opinion and discussion, and the frameworks for active participation and community collaboration in school safety.

Communication: Redundant systems and clear and common language for communication during an incident are critical to emergency response.

And as we learned on December 14th every second counts in an emergency.

It is important for the staff to be informed during a crisis and for them to be able to communicate with emergency responders.

Our school had planned to use the PA system to alert students and staff of emergencies, but because the attack took place in the office area and immediately incapacitated our leadership, the emergency could not be announced this way. This cost time.

How did you start your organization?

At Alissa’s kitchen table. I met Alissa on the phone the day after the tragedy. We talked for hours about our girls. They were great friends. After their deaths, we were drawn to each other to heal. Soon our conversations became about the nation’s response to our losses. We were amazed at the love and support but bewildered about the lack of discussion about securing our schools. We invited mothers of other children killed at Sandy Hook to the table and with their support, we started Safe and Sound.

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One of the things I have found as a trainer of both law enforcement officers and public officials is that many agencies are not actively preparing to respond to a school shooting incident. How important is this preparation?

Many communities aren’t preparing for this level of crisis because it seems unlikely to happen in their community or because it seems frightening.

We’ve discovered that in communities that are preparing thoughtfully for worstcase scenarios like an active shooter, students, staff, and parents are more confident, empowered, and prepared for a variety of more common emergencies. We believe strongly that creating a safe school environment involves much more than locks and alarms. It’s just as important to foster a sense of safety and empowerment over danger. The only way to deliver that is through education and training. To teach safety is teaching life skills that will serve our students a lifetime. It is as important as reading, writing, and math to a happy, healthy life.

Another area I don’t believe is adequately discussed in the public and private sectors is the reality of what one of these terrible incidents can do to the larger community. What effects does a major incident like Sandy Hook have on the larger community; the businesses, governmental agencies, and other parts of a town that are not directly related to the shooting?

Life in our community came to a standstill.

Whether or not you lost a loved one, friend or colleague on December 14th, you were hurt in some way. The community’s need for recovery resources alone was overwhelming.

The enormous media presence in town hurt local businesses, and ground traffic to a halt in town. Police escorted us to the funeral home, church and burial site to protect our privacy and get us through traffic.

Otherwise, we stayed home to avoid the chaos that had overtaken the town.

Our town government relied on an aroundthe-clock army of volunteers to sort mail and deliveries and fielded endless calls from reporters and those offering condolences or help from across the country. Police from neighboring towns provided extra patrols at the schools, churches, and throughout the town. Schools and one of our churches received threats and had to evacuate on several occasions. Our own elementary school had to be relocated in order to serve the surviving staff and students. We wondered if life would ever continue in our community.

By VOA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAmr-A-F8K8) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

(Continued on page 34) To Advertise Call: 201.943.3800

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feature story

(Continued from page 32)

What advice would you give to the police, public officials and school administrators on how to prepare to respond to an incident like Sandy Hook in the days and weeks afterward?

I would tell emergency responders to be sure that they are a part of the school’s emergency planning and preparation. They bring a level of expertise and perspective to the table that parents and educators desperately need, whether we are ready to admit it or not! We need the first responders in our buildings, learning our faces, and being a part of our culture. We need them to help us spot problems and think through safety scenarios. We need to feel like we are a part of a team with you.

On the flip side, I would ask administrators to include emergency responders in education, planning, and practice, and invite them into the building regularly. Because our plans all fell apart, emergency responders took control of the scene. Having them a part of the plan in the first place would have made an immeasurable difference in both our readiness and our response.

Public officials have to be prepared to be a part of reunifications, announcements and managing the media and public response to a tragedy. Their leadership, sense of calm, and advocacy for victims’ families is essential. The worldwide response to our tragedy took tremendous manpower to manage. It was just impossible for us to absorb the tremendous response.

The Sandy Hook school community was relocated to an empty school building one town away. The entire school was packed up and moved. The empty school building was retrofitted and decorated in time for students to return to school two weeks later.

Substitute teaching staff was at the ready to step in for staff members who needed assistance or to leave the classroom at any moment. Mental health professionals set up counseling centers in the community and in each school in the district to address student needs. And School resource Officers (SRO’s) were stationed at the schools to give students and staff the sense of safety they needed.

Going back to the Sandy Hook School, was there any safety 34

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equipment that could have prevented the shooter from getting into the school or slowed him down and prevented some of the injuries?

Certainly. While we maintained a locked single point of entry to the building during school hours and utilized a buzz-in system to control traffic during the school day, we had no other barriers to access. Our classroom doors all had to be locked from the outside, in the hallway manually by the teacher in a lockdown. My daughter’s substitute teacher that day was never issued a set of keys to the classroom. Teachers in the front hall and throughout the building did not have time to lock their doors to keep him out. One teacher at the end of the front hall sustained a gunshot wound as she bravely stepped into the hall to lock her classroom.

Barricade training would have greatly enhanced the safety of students and staff in classrooms. Our gunman gained entry not through the locked front door, but through the glass window beside it. He simply shattered the glass with a few bullets and stepped in. Protected or reinforced glass would have prevented use of this window as an entry point.

Our only means of communicating an emergency (other than fire) was the PA system. With the office staff hiding under their desks for their safety, they were unable to announce a lockdown or inform the actions of students and staff during and after the lockdown.

And while there are many other life-saving innovations available, quick lock capability on classroom doors, barricade training or tools, protected glass at the school entry, and redundant communication systems would have likely bought us the precious four minutes until the police arrived and our gunman shot himself.

I also believe that a police presence on campus may have deterred our gunman altogether. He drove by two other schools on his way to Sandy Hook. Each of those schools was known to have a school resource officer present either full or part-time.

When the message first went

out to parents and guardians that there was a problem at the school, how did the authorities make that notification and what could have been done better?

The notification I received was an automated recording of the Superintendent stating that our schools were in lockdown due to a shooting at one of our schools, but we were not told which school was involved.

Knowing which school was affected and where parents could go to reunite with their child would have been helpful.

As a parent directly involved in the incident, what preparation did the authorities have for your arrival at the school and what would you suggest to other districts to prepare for this type of situation?

There was no preparation for our arrival at the school or firehouse. Our administrative staff was all gone, either killed or taken to the hospital. No one was left to take command. Having a plan ready to go before an incident is the best thing to do.

One of the things you told me about an incident like this was the reality that there are large numbers of people who will prey on the victim’s families.

What types of things have happened to you or other Sandy Hook families?

I have to say that we received far more support and positive outreach than negative. But it is always shocking to learn about how some will look to take advantage of the pain of others. Our families were quickly overcome by the media response to our tragic losses. Overzealous reporters and photographers called incessantly and came to our homes and funerals. People and organizations performed fundraisers and collected money “for the families” only to keep it for themselves or their preexisting agendas.

Similarly, we found that many organizations formed overnight (or had been waiting at the ready to use a tragedy like ours) to serve their predetermined political, business, or career agendas. And probably the most unbelievable to us were the “hoaxers” who set up websites devoted to defaming To Advertise Call: 201.943.3800

our loved ones and families. But the most painful and frightening to us was the threat of the release of the crime scene and autopsy reports of our murdered children and teachers. They had suffered hideous crimes. The thought of the details and images of their deaths and injuries becoming publicized was torture.

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What are the most important lessons learned from the Sandy Hook School Shooting?

Denial is dangerous. Pretending that we will never face tragedy leaves us woefully unprepared to prevent it and overcome it.

On a personal note, I am amazed at your energy and dedication to make our schools safer and protect the kids who attend the schools in the USA. How do you manage to do the work you do?

I rely on my daughter and the support system I have in my faith, friends, family and mental health support. It is definitely a challenge to manage the care of our healing family on top of the work of our foundation, but I am determined to make a difference in her honor.

How can someone help your organization, make a donation, or get involved?

That’s easy. Simply visit our website safeandsound-schools. org to make a donation, print off free materials for your school community, subscribe to our blog, and follow us on Twitter and Facebook. We’ll continue to develop and add new tools and materials to the site as our funds allow. We need your support to help schools stay Safe and Sound.

We are open the day after Thanksgiving till December 20th.

Please bring your families and enjoy!

We look foward to seeing you!

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Thank you for your time. You are a tremendous example to all of us about how we can make a difference.

Thank you. I am grateful that I am not alone in this. I have met so many folks that are truly dedicated to keeping our schools safe. It is my honor to shine a light on them and share their wisdom and expertise through Safe and Sound!

Lt. Joseph Pangaro retired after serving 27 years in law enforcement in a police department in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Pangaro is a graduate of the Certified Public Managers Pro-gram (CPM) through Fairleigh-Dickenson University and served his department as the Lead Training Officer. He also writes a weekly newspaper column dedicated to helping his readers understand the rigors and joys of a career in law enforcement. Joseph Pangaro is the CEO and President of Pangaro Management and Training and Management and Pangaro Global Training, an online training company. Email Lt. Pangaro @ JPangaro194@yahoo.com or Twitter: @Pangarotraining

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Women in blue

“As women we must stand up for ourselves.

As women we must stand up for each other.

As women we must stand up for justice for all.”

Michelle Obama

Seeking Equality

By Captain Donna Roman Hernandez (Ret.)

W

omen and men are equally capable of being law enforcement officers.

Female officers work side by side with male officers performing their duties and in command positions, breaking the myths and skepticism that women are incapable of handling the job.

Once Upon a Time

This may be hard to believe but policing had once been viewed by Americans as a male occupation. The early history of duties for women police officers in the 1900s was social service in nature. They were assigned primarily to clerical, juvenile and matron duties and were not permitted to perform basic patrol duties.

The female police officer character portrayed by actress Angie Dickinson in the 1974 television series Police Woman was glamorized and misrepresented, an image that has no place in modern policing today.

In the 1970s female law enforcement officers represented only 2% of our nation’s law enforcement work force. By 1991, 9% of all police were female and in the year 2000 it rose to 11.2%.

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Status of Women Officers

The last century in U.S. history has seen the emergence of more women in policing, their contributions to our criminal justice system and their ultimate sacrifices made to protect our communities and nation.

However, men still are the overwhelming majority of police officers in our nation.

According to data given to the FBI in 2011, women represented nearly 12% of about 700,000 police officers in the U.S. Women are still underrepresented in the highest ranks of law enforcement, but not in D.C., where women hold top spots at six major institutions, including the DEA, FBI, Secret Service and D.C. Police.

Women Warriors

John M. Wills, an award-winning novelist and a former Chicago police officer and retired FBI agent, has recently assembled a series of true stories in a book, Women Warriors: Stories From The Thin Blue Line.

It’s a first of its kind anthology featuring narratives written by the women in law enforcement who lived them. He has published more than 125 articles on police

training, firearms and street survival.

I spoke with Wills and he told me why he wrote about women in law enforcement.

“During my law enforcement career I’ve trained scores of women in a variety of disciplines: defensive tactics, firearms and fitness, to name a few. I’ve seen their determination and tested their mettle. I’ve watched as some quit, not unlike their male colleagues, and marveled as others fought through adversity and won. I’ve seen a few make the ultimate sacrifice and lay down their life for their fellow man. I am inspired by the daily battles waged by our women in blue. Their compelling stories give an insight into the minds of these exceptional women, and I refer to them as Women Warriors because they fight tenaciously and savagely to uphold the oath they swore. It’s time their stories are told.”

Forcing Change

It’s never easy being the ‘first’ of anything, especially for women who work in a male-dominated profession. Some police departments in New Jersey have not hired their first female officer or have hired a lone female officer.

(Continued on page 38) To Advertise Call: 201.943.3800

N JBlue now | november 2014

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Women in blue (Continued from page 36) Former Chief of Detectives William Schievella shared his perspective on the status of women on the job. “Women make up a vital part of the law enforcement community today. I believe that women law enforcement officers often have superior conflict resolution skills and can manage stressful situations to a positive outcome.”

Women have been in law enforcement for over one hundred years, however, bias and barriers still exist in many police departments and police agencies in hiring, selection practices and recruitment policies keeping the numbers of women in law enforcement down. Female officers are often encouraged to overlook or minimize the discrimination they face because it ‘comes with the job.’ When they seek change, frequently it comes through litigation, forcing agencies to change their written policies and attitudes and courtordered plans are necessary to get some of departments/agencies to implement policies for equality and to retain and promote women.

Whistleblowers are perceived as traitors and those female pioneers in law enforcement that have opened the door for future women to pass through have paid a price, often times facing retaliation and ostracism from the hiring authority, supervisors and co-workers for filing gender discrimination and sexual harassment lawsuits or for exposing other acts of misconduct.

In August of 2014, the US Department of Justice filed a federal lawsuit against the commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania State Police alleging that the state police have engaged in a pattern and practice of employment discrimination against women. The DOJ alleges in its suit that the Pennsylvania State Police excluded qualified women from consideration as entry-level troopers by requiring candidates to pass a physical fitness test that did not test for physical skills necessary to perform the job.

The DOJ is seeking a court order to end the physical fitness test and to require defendants “to provide make-whole relief, including back pay with interest, offers of employment, retroactive seniority, and other benefits to women who have suffered 38

NJBlue now | november 2014

losses or will suffer losses” because of the state police’s policies.

Embracing Women in Blue The National Center for Women & Policing

Since 1995, the National Center for Women & Policing (NCWP) has been educating criminal justice policy makers, the media and the public about the impacts of increasing the representation of women in policing. Their goals include ensuring that gender is always considered during the analysis of contemporary policing issues, and that law enforcement agencies strive for gender balancing their departments.

They promote increasing the numbers of women at all ranks of law enforcement as a strategy to improve police response to violence against women and strengthen community policing reforms.

The New Jersey Women in Law Enforcement

Founded in 2004 by a group of female law enforcement executives representing federal, state, county and municipal agencies, the New Jersey Women in Law Enforcement, Inc. (NJWLE) is a professional organization of women and men who are working together to strengthen public recognition of the unique contributions of women to the profession of law enforcement. Their mission is to strengthen the law enforcement profession through the celebration of diversity and collaborative leadership and to mentor the next generation of women leaders.

The International Association of Women Police

The IAWP was first organized as the International Policewomen’s Association in 1915. The mission of the IAWP is to strengthen, unite and raise the profile of women in criminal justice internationally.

Their vision is for women officers’ lives to be free from discrimination, valued for their contribution, and treated with respect and dignity.

The IACP Diversity Coordinating Panel

The IACP Diversity Coordinating Panel focuses on issues affecting recruitment, hiring, retention, and promotion, which pertain to all under-represented groups,

particularly women and minorities.

The Panel works from a perspective that diversity is essential in enhancing, strengthening, and advancing the law enforcement profession and is guided by the principle that workplace diversity enhances the tenants of professionalism, community service, and the protection of civil rights for all persons working in law enforcement agencies.

Don Wactor, a former Orange Police Captain and the President of the NOBLENorthern New Jersey Chapter feels that most women in law enforcement bring a kinder, gentler perspective to law enforcement, something that is needed in today’s police department. “The female officers that I have worked with have been dedicated, conscientious, reliable and dependable. The ones I depend on most with NOBLE are women. During my three years in office as President I have presented six member of the year awards and five of them were to women… this says something about their abilities and commitment.”

Finally there is a growing acceptance by the public and within our profession for the hiring, retention and promotion of women in law enforcement.

References: Women Moving Through the Higher Ranks, USA Today, August 14, 2013.

Policewomen: The First Century and the New Era, Police Chief, Vol. 73, No. 9, September 2006.

IACP, IAWP, NCWP and NJWLE web sites.

Captain Donna Roman Hernandez (Ret.) is a domestic violence police specialist, domestic violence subject matter expert and consultant.

She is the host of Tough Justice Internet Talk Radio Show (www.toughjusticeddv.com) and The Jersey Beat Blog Talk Radio Show (www.thejerseybeat.blogspot.com). Her award-winning feature documentarymemoir The Ultimate Betrayal: A Survivor’s Journey is available for download or purchase at Amazon.com – Prime Instant Video. Contact Donna at salsacop446@ hotmail.com or www.blueforcefilms.com.

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Nj Honor Legion the Fiesta Wood-Ridge, New Jersey.

October 29th, 2014

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NJBlue now | november 2014

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5th Annual Golf Outing October 2, 2014 Photo Credits: Willis Hulings

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NJBlue now | november 2014

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blue events Photo credits: Officer Marc Loveland

Orange PD Lt. Keith Jackson, Bloomingdale PD Officer Marc Loveland and Orange PD Officer Richard Adrianzen.

Inspector Joyce Carnegie, Orange Police Department End of Watch: 4/8/1999

Riding For A Fallen Hero On April 7, 2008, Orange Police Officer Joyce Carnegie was shot and killed in the line of duty by an armed robbery suspect she had stopped for questioning. Carnegie was the first female officer killed in the line of duty in Essex County, New Jersey. The suspect pled guilty to murder and was sentenced to life in prison on June 30, 1999. On October 7, 2008 Officer Carnegie was posthumously promoted to the rank of Inspector.

During this year’s Police Unity Tour, Officer Marc Loveland of the Bloomingdale Police Department rode in memory of Inspector Carnegie and wore a memorial bracelet in her honor. Recently, Loveland presented the bracelet to Inspector Carnegie’s mother Ernestine Carnegie at the Bloomingdale Police Department, along with Chief Joseph Borell and members of his department. Mrs. Carnegie was accompanied by Don Wactor, a former Captain of the Orange Police Department and President of NOBLENorthern New Jersey and Bill Heinzelman.

Bloomingdale PD Officer Marc Loveland and Ernestine Carnegie

This is the bracelet Marc wore representing the memory of Joyce Carnegie.

He presented it to Joyce’s mother.

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Wactor, Loveland, Ernestine, Chief Joseph Borell and Heinzelman.

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blue events BLESSING OF THE BADGE CEREMONY September 27, 2014 The National Organization of Black Women in Law Enforcement (NOBWLE) collaborated with several organizations including NOBLE Northern New Jersey, the Passaic County Bronze Shields, Sisters Beyond the Badge and Ladies in Law Enforcement for the first Blessing of the Badge ceremony, a non-denominational service praying over the badges of law enforcement officers for violence prevention at St. Matthew’s Baptist Church in Roselle.

Sergeant Promotion Hazlet Police Department October 28, 2014 Sgt. Jerry Burgos of the Hazlet Police Department was recently promoted to Sergeant and members of the National Coalition of Latino Officers representing various police departments were on hand to congratulate Burgos on his promotion.

NJ Police Community Affairs Officers Association/Morris County Freeholders & Department of Law & Public Safety Law Enforcement Career Development Course Fall 2014 This 10-week comprehensive course is sponsored by the NJ Police Community Affairs Officers Association and the Morris County Freeholders along with 15 colleges and universities. It is held at the Morris County Public Safety Academy and is designed to prepare college students for careers in law enforcement as well as teach students about the profession as a whole. The course gives students a closer look at law enforcement by exposing them to practical scenarios and hands-on instruction.

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47

remembrance Sponsored by

www.MomentOfSilenceInc.org

Officer Stephen Huczko Jr. forward to working in the medical field as a nurse.

O

fficer Stephen Huczko was a 17year veteran with the Port Authority Police and was appointed on June 23, 1986. He worked as a Police Officer at Newark International Airport and was the coordinator for emergency medical personnel response at Newark International Airport.

He was instrumental in coordinating and distributing defibrillator units at Newark International Airport. Officer Huczko was the recipient of numerous police citations and received the Group Valor Award for his participation in rescue operations during the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. He was also proud to be a drummer with the Port Authority Police Pipes & Drums.

Officer Huczko was also a licensed registered nurse and worked at Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg.

After his retirement, he was looking

On September 11, 2001, Officer Huczko was scheduled to be off, but was at the Police Academy waiting for an interview for a position at the academy. After learning of the attack on the World Trade Center, he responded to the site with the academy staff and began rescue operations in Tower One. As the rescue team climbed, the building shook and though they heard via radio that Tower Two collapsed, they forged on and reached somewhere between the 24th to 27th floors.

They were then ordered to evacuate and during their descent Officer Huczko and the team encountered a woman who was unable to walk on her own. In an attempt to save her, they strapped her into a first aid chair and started to carry her to safety, but only reached the lobby when the building collapsed.

couple moved to a small rural community in Hampton, New Jersey. Officer Huczko was a dedicated father. He coached summer baseball for his son’s teams and loved biking, especially with his children in the annual New York City bicycle tour. He was also an avid runner, finished the NYC marathon in 2000 and encouraged his three oldest children to participate in a triathlon with him. Stephen also had a romantic side and would often surprise his wife when he came home from work with flowers that he would pick alongside the road.

Stephen Huczko, age 45, was born in Manhattan, New York and raised in Staten Island. Though both he and his future wife, Kate, attended the same grammar school, they did not meet until a friend introduced them then married three years later. The

If you would like to honor a brother or sister in BLUE who lost their life on the job or retired, please submit your story to: njbluenow@gmail.com 48

NJBlue now | november 2014

To Advertise Call: 201.943.3800

Matthew A. Peluso, Esq. Statewide Civil Litigation and Trials

Joseph Pangaro, CPM Proudly Representing NJ Law Enforcement Officers

74 Brick Blvd Suite 102 Brick, New Jersey 08723 732-600-8976 email: JPangaro@yahoo.com

609-306-2595 mpelusoesq@live.com

Blue classifieds Garden State Harley-Davidson

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for $150

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LAW ENFORCEMENT DISCOUNT

Ask for SAM President

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Diverse Uncensored Opinionated

www.ddvradio.com

THE FUNNIEST GUYS ON INTERNET RADIO www.wiseguysddv.com

INTERNET TALK RADIO N JBlue now | november 2014

49

L

aw Enforcement Officers and canines are a natural pairing providing loyalty and pleasure to each other, forming close relationships and companionship.

Send us a favorite photo of you and your ‘best friend’ to be displayed in Blue Paws!

“Heaven” is a beautiful 3-year old Pit bull.

Sent by Detective Wendell Oms West New York Police Department

Officer Mitchell Passaic County Sheriff’s Department with “Buddah”

Detective Mark Anacker Kean University Police Department with K9 “Gunner”

Det. Zeno Woodbridge Police Department & “Bonnie & Clyde” Olde English Bulldogs

If you and your dog would like to be featured in Blue Paws, please email your photo to Joseph Celentano at: bluepawsnow@gmail.com.

“Zena” Officer Kevin Garcia Chicago Police Department

Sgt. John Bell Rutgers Police Department Newark and “Preston” (Border Collie mix)

Joseph Celentano Passaic County Sherrif’s Department

blue paws

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NJBlue now | november 2014

To Advertise Call: 201.943.3800

We will help you reach your goals and improve your quality of life!

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Schedule your appointment today, and live a pain free life.

Tri-State Health & Wellness Medical Center

31-00 Broadway, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410

Children Specialties • Physicals • Immunization • Acne Treatment • Childhood Asthma • Scoliosis in Children Dr. Aleksandr Martirosov D.O. Awarded by NJ State Police Honor Legion

201-791-7771 www.Tristate-Health.com Most Insurance Accepted

N JBlue now | november 2014

51

MedWell, LLC, Leading Team of Expert Physicians & Therapists Specialize in Non-Surgical Orthopedic Treatment of Spine, Knee & Leg Pain

Got Pain?

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The treatment is fantastic.”

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*Results may vary. Guarantee applies only to laser therapy for refund. In order to request your guarantee you must present this ad day one, have completed 5 administrations of laser therapy and refund request must be submitted in writing before sixth visit. Multidisciplinary Center. Photo depicts Dr. Ali Mazandarani, D.C. Up to $500 total value. Excludes all diagnostics, examinations, injections, other modalities and all other services based on individual needs.

“Dr. Maz has helped hundreds of individuals and their families, to live pain free and happy, for over a decade.” Why Not You.