Chief Ed Grennon uses resources to train officers

Millville Police Chief Ed Grennon used various resources other than local tax money to train more officers, making the MPD more self-sufficient.

Sgt. Harold "Junior" Duffield became a certified police cyclist instructor after he attended a week-long training course offered by the International Police Mountain Bike Association. The course consisted of both classroom and field training, including teaching methods, bicycle maintenance, day and night riding practices, and tactical procedures.

Duffield's certification will allow him to train city officers here, saving both time and money in the future.

Congrat's to Junior, we can't wait to see you on two wheels! The bike cops are one of the best ways to nip nuisance activity, as the bike cops can sneak up undetected, and catch the perps in the act.

Det. Lt. Les Watson, a 20-year veteran of the city police force, recently attended the Middle Atlantic-Great Lakes Organized Crime Law Enforcement Network's conference in Columbus, Ohio.

MAGLOCLEN, a federally funded program, is one of six regional law-enforcement information-sharing systems in the country. Its goal is to facilitate greater information-sharing among local, state and federal law-enforcement agencies.

Another worthwhile program, bringing Millville into the 21st century. In case you are not reading between the lines, the reference to "organized crime" no longer refers solely to "the Mafia". Street gangs such as the Bloods, Crips, MS13, Latin Kings are all highly organized, boasting an intricate communication web. Why do you think many Bloods are in the county now? Their organizations have spread the word that Cumberland County is "prime territory".

At least now, local law enforcement will be have a communication and information infrastructure at least as efficient as those of the street gangs.

Dottie's Walk

Last night, Little Dottie joined us on the walk that bears her name. For well over twenty years, Dottie Wilkerson has taken to the streets on Monday evenings, joined by an entourage of concerned citizens and even elected officials.

Commissioner Dale Finch has been a regular for over two years now, missing only when he has obligations elsewhere. Commission and 3-time mayor Jim Quinn has been joining us regularly this year, and last night he was accompanied by Chuck Flickinger. City planning director Kim Ayres joined us, as did local resident and teacher Pam Corson.

Dottie is getting up there in age, but she walked a few block with us, which required quite an effort on her part. After dropping Dottie to her house, our group then continued, hitting the alleys of South Millville.

Dale was taking notes the entire time, ammo to give to Milt Truxton's group with orders to go out and cite properties that are out of compliance with city codes. The code enforcement officers will be out in force this week, with orders to leave their vehicles parked, and walk the streets.

This is a no-nonsense, common sense approach. It is one prong of many in the pitchfork that will make our neighborhoods clean and safe once more.

Isn't that nice

The names of the vermin arrested in the recent drug bust at 410 N. 3rd street, a slum rental owned by Tammy McCoy of Mt. Laurel, were revealed. One of these fine upstanding citizens, Elgenun Parish, charged with possession of pot, crack, heroin and intent to distribute is no virgin to the court system.

This piece of human defecation was sentenced on February 19, 2010 to 18 months in prison for possession of a defaced weapon.

Now tell me what is wrong with this picture? This piece of crap was sentenced four months ago, and yet he is in Millville selling heroin in our neighborhoods.

What is even more disturbing is that judge Benjamin Telsey only sentenced a criminal that was caught with a stolen, illegal firearm to 18 months - a mere slap on the wrist, rather than the mandatory 3-5 years for illegal weapons possession. What is the judge waiting for, for this piece of crap to kill someone?

Our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line to arrest a person that had no problem being in possession of an illegal, stolen gun. Judge Telsey slapped the cops in the face with a joke of a prison sentence. And even that joke of a prison sentence apparently means nothing as he was walking the streets.

I hear talk about getting the illegal weapons off the streets - well the place to start is for judges to grow cojones, and get the criminals that use illegal weapons off the street.

I understand that Ms. McCoy was one of the attendees of Millville's landlord training. Apparently she learned nothing. Had she been paying attention, upon renewal of the lease to this slum rental she would have had the tenant sign a crime-free lease addendum. She would have been checking on her property weekly, and prohibited her tenants from associating with known felons. She would have begun eviction proceedings immediately after noticing nuisance activity on her property.

But she is swell, living in her condo in Mt. Laurel, where I am certain the condo association would never allow even a tenth of what goes on at 410 N. 3rd Street to occur.

The official article on yesterday's drug bust

In today's Daily Journal - here is the official story that we broke as it was happening.

Five people were arrested on drug charges Wednesday on the 400 block of North 3rd Street -- in the same area as a gang-related shooting and stabbing earlier this week.

The house was a target in a long-term investigation involving narcotics and gangs, police Detective Sgt. Jody Farabella said Wednesday.

Kudos to the hard work of Farabella's team. They are always hard at work, and being undercover in a small town where everyone knows you is not easy.

Raid on N. 3rd St

A little after 1pm today, Millville Police targeted 410 N. 3rd Street in a raid. At least four upstanding citizens were led away in handcuffs.

410 N. 3rd street is owned by Tammy McCoy, 120 Farnwood Rd., Mt. Laurel, NJ.

Tammy also owns 407 N. 5th St., 523 Columbia Ave., 18 W. Foundry St. and 27 W. Foundry St.

Tammy has been recognized in prior years for her disservice to the residents of Millville. In 2007, she was inducted into our hall of fame, for this address, due to the high number of nuisance calls for this property.

Apparently she has no intentions whatsoever of making amends. She will rent out to whatever scum she wants to, making a living at the expense of Millville residents while contributing to the destruction of our neighborhoods.

This house is a frequent source of nuisance activity in Center City.I wonder if Tammy would appreciate a slum rental like this in her neighborhood?

Recap of weeks of violence

The Press of Atlantic City has a good article on the wave of violence that has been sweeping Center City.

In the past week alone, multiple shootings and stabbings have been reported from within center city. At least two people have been shot, and others may have been. Homes have been hit by stray gunfire, and cars, too, often in broad daylight. Many crimes originate in the same center city neighborhood, the area between Third and Sixth streets and Broad and Main streets.

Residents here live every day with gang and drug violence. For many, the violence is something they have come to expect.

The article is a fairly accurate depiction. If you read it, you will find the problem lays squarely in the laps of the residents that refuse to see anything, or know anything. One idiot claimed "the only way it will get better is if we leave". Sure - because you are too much of a coward to tell the police what you know! That is the one thing that really pisses me off, those people that want somebody else to fix the problem, and refuse to take ownership of their own neighborhood.

By refusing to cooperate with authorities, by refusing to get involved, you have handed the neighborhood over to third-rate thugs. All it takes is a phone call to police whenever you witness suspicious or nuisance activity. Give the police the address of the nuisance property.  Three calls in a month, and that landlord gets a letter from the city to cease and desist. If the landlord fails to alleviate the problem, they can be charged the cost of city services and liens will be placed on their property.

There was one factual error in the story.

Following a shooting spree that took place following the 2008 New Year, the Millville Police Department enlisted the aid of the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department and New Jersey State Police for a few months.

Actually, then sheriff Mike Barruzza called the Millville Chief of Police, and volunteered to send deputies to help patrol the areas. This was Barrazza's idea, not Millville's. Chief Grennon was more than happy for the offer.

Our current sheriff is too busy on publicity stunts to do anything of substance to fight gang crime.

Was someone shot on Monday's fracas?

This just in - there may have been a third victim in Monday's disturbance in Center City. This seems to be a continuing problems involving the "usual suspects". The Monday incident was a continuation of the violence that began on Sunday.

Police say a 23-year-old city man who was arrested early Sunday following a fracas on North 3rd Street was one of two people stabbed during an altercation Monday afternoon.

Police dispatched to the 400 block of North 3rd Street at about 3:45 p.m. Monday on a report of gunfire there learned that Morningside Drive resident Stephen Rambone Jr. had been stabbed once in the right side of his torso, Millville Police Det. Lt. Les Watson said.

More violence in center city Millville

A stabbing helped conclude an argument between two teens last Sunday.

Police here say a 19-year-old city man stabbed a Vineland teen during a dispute on North 3rd Street following a bottle-throwing incident early Sunday.

The 19-year-old East Oak Street resident also is accused of spitting at police and threatening to kill the officers and everyone involved in an altercation at 3rd and Oak streets.

Andrew T. Ridgeway was charged with aggravated assault, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon, terroristic threats, throwing bodily fluids at police, resisting arrest, hindering apprehension and disorderly conduct.

That section of Third Street has been referred to as a "war zone" by city commissioner Dale Finch. To his credit, Dale is on the streets every Monday evening, with Dottie's Walkers, targeting the worst neighborhoods to walk through.

Dale took me seriously when I suggested Millville adopt an ordinance similar to one adopted by Port Republic, requiring landlords to perform criminal background checks on all potential tenants. This will not be a cure-all, but it will be one more tool in our box.

Until then, we need citizens to take up the cause, to sit on your front porches a few hours at night, to keep your porch lights on, to join us on Dottie's Walk, to volunteer to become a Block Captain for the Neighborhood Watch. Become part of the solution, by doing nothing you ARE part of the problem.

More gunfire in Center City Millville

This time, the gunfire moved into the Arts District.

Police are investigating whether a Center City shooting late Thursday night is related to the Wednesday night shooting of a mother and son.

A residence on East Oak Street, between Buck and High streets, was struck by gunfire several times Thursday night, shortly before 10 p.m., police said Friday. Witnesses reported hearing approximately six shots fired in the area, a news release said.

Enough is enough.  Are we waiting for an out of town visitor to be shot before we take action? Why is the incompetent sheriff Bob Austino refusing to help? Several years ago, Millville saw a surge in gun crime. Then sheriff Mike Barruzza took it on himself to approach the Millville chief of police and volunteer to provide sheriff's deputies to provide a presence in the target areas. I guess Austino is too occupied on looking for ways to hire friends.

And as far as Millville politics - now is NOT the time to be laying off cops. We need more cops on the beat, and we need them there now. The insanity needs to stop.

Double Shooting in Millville

Yep, even more gun play most likely involving ganstas.This time near 6th and Mulberry.

Millville Police Det. Lt. Les Watson identified the gunshot victims Thursday morning as 37-year-old Jacqueline Downing and 21-year-old Edward Holland, both of East Mulberry Street.
Downing sustained a single gunshot wound to her left thigh, Holland a single gunshot wound to his right arm.

Both were treated at South Jersey Healthcare-Regional Medical Center and later released.
Witnesses reported hearing roughly 10 gunshots, which appeared to have been fired from the rear of a 600-block East Mulberry Street property, Watson said.

It is going to be a long, hot summer. I recently proposed Millville adopt an ordinance requiring all landlords do a criminal background checks on all new tenants. I also proposed that landlords immediately lose their rental permits if their properties repeatedly fall out of compliance with any Millville code.

I understand that the city is now looking at other cities with similar ordinances. Of course, it is too late to do anything about the current problems, but if the city sends a strong message to these slumlords that tolerate criminal activity, we can begin to reverse the tide.