PARAMUS IS A SAFE COMMUNITY

In a letter sent To the Editor of The Town News and published 1/18/06, Police Chief  Fred Corrubia lashed out at one of their articles relating to Paramus not being a safe community. With his permission we are re-printing it here:

Your Jan. 11, 2006 article, “FBI crime report: Paramus statistics vary” notes that a waning number of police officers employed by the borough signals that inflating crime rates may stay on the rise if vacancies in the Paramus Police Department are not filled soon. The Town News also notes a correlation between increasing criminal activity in Paramus and decreasing number of police officers employed by the borough.

Statements such as these would lead citizens to believe that Paramus is being patrolled with fewer officers than in the past. Nothing is further from the truth!

The vacancies in the police department have been caused by retirements and in some cases injuries to officers. Mayor Tedesco, Police Commissioner Ciambrone, and the governing body have recognized the need for appropriate staffing in the police department. Patrol and Detective squads have never been sent out with less than the minimum manning level, and while total manpower may be down, squads have not “dwindled” as indicated in the article.

The Paramus governing body which has recognized the need to fill supervisory, investigative and police officer positions has also recognized that the hiring of four Alternative Route police candidates will put officers on the streets many months earlier than would be possible through traditional procedures.

The word “immediate” in the resolution to hire officers was requested so that qualified Alternate Route candidates would not be lost to other police agencies. It has nothing to do with public safety. Mayor Tedesco and the Council have always been committed to the safety of the public, and Paramus continues to be a safe community.

 Frederick J. Corrubia

Chief of Police, Paramus