Secaucus police are investigating a telephone bomb threat made against the National Basketball Association’s Secaucus operation this morning.

The building at 450 Harmon Meadow Boulevard houses NBA Entertainment, the league’s sports TV and Internet programming subsidiary.

NJ.com said threat came in around 9:30 a.m. today noting it was “simply a telephone threat.”

The Record reported that employees were being evacuated in response as police were on the scene earlier today.

No explosives were found by police, however, and the scene was cleared up this afternoon.

The Sports News has some (tongue-in-cheek) theories.

The post Bomb Threat Against NBA appeared first on eSecaucus.

A violent domestic dispute in late September sparked a life-saving response and commendable acts of valor and duty from several members of the Secaucus Police Department, according to town officials who honored the police officers and detectives Tuesday night.

A group of police and EMT was also honored for the response to a November armed robbery at Restaurant Depot in town.

While officials declined to provide specific details of the domestic incident, which occurred in the evening of Sept. 29, Mayor Mike Gonnelli said the response required police to separate an assailant from a victim, subdue the suspect and provide immediate medical treatment to the victim.

“We know you saved a life,” Gonnelli told the officers Jan. 10. “We know you went above and beyond the call of duty.”

Those honored with the Mayor’s Award included Officers Reinaldo Cruzado Jr., Matthew Ford, Peter Garass, Robert Napoleon, Roderick Aninipot, Detective Michael Torres, Sgt. Thomas Barrelli, Det. Sgt. Dominic DeGennaro, Det. Lt. Michael Reinke, EMT Barbara Orofino, EMT Frank Screno.

Barrelli was also given a valor award for the incident for taking action “at risk to his own personal safety.”

The victim of the attack was present at the meeting, spoke briefly and individually thanked the officers for their efforts. The mayor asked that her photo or comments not be carried by media.

The governing body also honored a group of officers and EMTs with a Unit Citation Award for the Restaurant Depot robbery, which saw the perpetrators tie up employees and flee.

Dispatcher Deborah DeFelice kept a line open after a call and helped discover there was a burglary in process at the location, and officers apprehended the perpetrators soon after the event, said the mayor. Officers Kevin Kutola, Jerome Mercado III, Reinaldo Cruzado Jr., Martin Moreda, Marc Schoch, Sgt. Clark Rhiel, Sgt. Francis Cotter, Det. Michael Torres, Det. Carlos Goyenechea, and Det. Sgt. Thomas O’Keeffe were given the award.

“Thanks to the officers, they got there very quickly, responded exactly as they should have, and apprehended, very soon afterwards, the people perprating the crime,” said 1st Ward Councilman Gary Jeffas.

The post Officers Honored for Domestic Dispute, Robbery Response appeared first on eSecaucus.

Editor’s Note: We have corrected the following story. The landlord mentioned in the story is the mother of police officer Marc Schoch and not officer Kim Elphick as was previously written. We apologize for the confusion.

A former Secaucus resident is suing the town, the Secaucus Police Department and a pair of police officers for $7 million claiming he was wrongly charged of an offense after a dispute with his landlord.

Joseph McKenna lived in a basement apartment on Hudson Avenue, which turned out to be an illegal rental, when he became involved in the dispute with his landlord, who happened to be the mother of Secaucus Police Officer Marc Schoch, according to NJ.com.

McKenna claims his apartment flooded and the landlord refused to make the necessary repairs and filed a complaint with the health department in late 2008.

When he filed the complaint he was told the residence is a one-family building and he had been living in an illegal apartment, the suit says, adding that he was told to vacate.

The landlord filed a lawsuit saying McKenna owed her money for damage to the apartment and for back rent, and he filed a counter suit, the suit says. While that matter was pending, he was told the township had lost the complaint he filed against the landlord, the lawsuit says, adding that McKenna still has his copy.

The post Former Resident Suing Town, Officers appeared first on eSecaucus.

Mon., March 26 - A 31-year-old Jersey City man was charged with preseint a fradulent insurance card after a traffic stop on County Avenue at 11:45 a.m.

Police said the man, Ramon Abreu-Romano, was pulled over and also cited for having tinted windows on his vehicle.

Information for this column was provided by Det. Michael Torres of the Secaucus Police Department and reported by eSecaucus.com. Reports of charges do not imply guilt or innocence.

Wed., March 21 - A 22-year-old Jersey City woman was arrested for forgery and found to have an outstanding warrant after an incident at United Check Cashing in Secaucus Plaza.

The woman, Alisa Acosta, attempted to pass a fradulent check for $6,952, police said.

A 31-year-old Jersey City man who accompanied her to the store — Jay Torress – was found to have a warrant out of Jersey City.

Mon., March 19 - A 60-year-old Secaucus man, Garry Pollack, was arrested for disorderly conduct after police were called to the Centre Ave. senior center in town on a report of a man acting in a tumultuous manner.

Mon., March 19 - A 29-year-old Kearny man, Orlando Bonet-Marquez, was charged with fradulent use of a credit card and possession of a false government document after police said he tried to open a credit account at Sam’s Club with a fake ID.

A second man accompanying him — 23-year-old Rolando Chonco-Garcia of North Bergen — was found to have a warrant for failure to appear out of North Bergen.

Wed., March 14 - An employee of Toys “R” Us on Mill Creek Drive signed a shoplifting complaint aganist a 45-year-old Groveville man stemming from an incident Feb. 29 at the store.

The man, Stafan Riselvato, is accused of trying to take $800 worth of merchandise from the store.

The post Blotter: Phony Docs, Disorderly Conduct… appeared first on eSecaucus.

A 22-year-old Secaucus man was arrested on theft and drunk driving charges following an Aug 20 incident after police said he took a board of education truck and went on a “joyride,” hitting six vehicles.

Christopher Collins stole a Dodge 350 Ram truck from the board of education at around 5:30 a.m. on that Monday morning before taking the jaunt and eventually stopped near Centre Ave., police said.

He was charged with driving while intoxicated, theft of the vehicle, leaving the scene of an accident, possession of an open contain of alcohol, consuming an alcoholic beverage in a vehicle, careless driving, driving with a suspended driver’s license, and burglary for breaking into the car.

Collins was remanded to the Hudson County jail.

Police said the arrest was not immediately reported because of an investigation following the incident.

Information for this column was provided by Officer D. Dobosz of the Secaucus Police Department and reported by eSecaucus.com. Reports of charges do not imply guilt or innocence.

Sat., Sept. 8 – A 28-year-old Union City woman was arrested Saturday morning after police on patrol saw a man in the parking lot of the Red Roof Inn on Meadowlands Parkway apparently trying to open a locked car with a wire hanger.

After approaching the man at around 8:47 a.m., he told police that he locked the keys in the car, which he said belonged to his niece staying at the motel. A subsequent investigation found a $40K outstanding warrant on the man but police then discovered the warrant had since been cleared and was no longer outstanding.

But when police spoke to the man’s niece, Stefanie Herrera, she gave them a false name and police found that she had outstanding warrants out of Union City and Weehawken.

Herrera was charged with hindering apprehension. The man was not charged.

Fri., Sept. 7 – A 32-year-old Jersey City woman, Gina Maria Tores, was arrested for shoplifting at Kohl’s after police said she tried to take $48 worth of earrings from the store.

Fri., Sept. 7 - A 42-year-old Flushing, N.Y., man who police said tried to obtain a store credit card with a false driver’s license, was arrested at around 6 p.m. on Friday.

Ernest Lee Jones presented store workers with a fraudulent Pennsylvania driver’s license under the name Jose Gonzalez in applying for a credit card, police said. He was charged with hindering, having a false government document, identity theft, and using false information to obtain a credit card.

Bail was set at $25K/10%.

Wed., Sept. 5 - Secaucus police apprehended a robbery suspect in the early afternoon Wednesday on Route 3 after hearing reports out of Parsippany that an individual had robbed a bank there and was fleeing int he direction of Secaucus.

After officers worked to slow down traffic on the highway, they shut the roadway down to do a foot search for the vehicle containing a man described as black and wearing a gray “hoodie” sweatshirt.

Officers approaching a black Audi observed a gray sweatshirt in the back seat of the vehicle, a driver matching the description, along with a backpack in the back seat. “It’s me you’re looking for,” the man told police, according to the police report.

Officers and agents from county, state, local and federal authorities converged on the scene. The man, 29-year-old Stephen Smith of Brooklyn, was taken into custody by Parsippany authorities.

Six banks in Morris County have been robbed over the past two months and police are investigating whether there is any connection.

Wed., Sept. 5 - A 22-year-old North Bergen man was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance after police observed a vehicle parked in a handicapped spot outside of Marra’s Drug Store without a placard.

After police approached at around 12:43 p.m., an officer detected the odor of burnt marijuana emanating from the vehicle.

A passenger, Mazen Abulaban, emptied his pockets for police but tried to conceal a package of marijuana in his hand. He was charged with possession of a CDS. The driver of the vehicle was cited for parking in a handicapped spot.

Tue., Sept. 4 - A Jersey City juvenile was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance after police observed two individuals walking along Route 3 with a gas can at around 10:30 a.m.

The individuals said they ran out of gas and after the officer gave them a ride in his vehicle he detected an odor of marijuana. After asking the juvenile if he possessed drugs, the young man pulled marijuana out of the band on his underwear, police said.

The J.C. juvenile was charged and released to his parents. The other juvenile was not charged and released to his parents.

Sun., Sept. 2 - A 31-year-old Jersey City man was arrested on shoplifting charges at Wal-Mart in the early morning hours.

Police said David Shenouda was apprehended by loss prevention personnel after he attempted to conceal three Magic Jack computer/telephone devices worth $224.

He was charged with shoplifting and possession of an anti-shoplifting device after police found a pair of scissors on him.

The post Blotter: Drunken Joyride, Robbery Arrest… appeared first on eSecaucus.

Last weekend, the Hudson Reporter published an investigation into the Secaucus Police Department’s failure to properly handle complaints against its officers.

The article sites individual cases as well as a study performed by the American Civil Liberties Union in which the Secaucus Police Department rated poorly.

Five municipalities, including Secaucus, were found to have what the ACLU-NJ considered “bad access,” meaning they weren’t able to supply information regarding how to file a complaint, for one reason or another. – The Hudson Reporter

Town Administrator David Drumeler defended the department, considering that civilian dispatchers and not officers are used to answer the phones, which may have caused delays in reaching the desk sergeant.

“ I’ve never received a complaint that it was difficult to file an internal affairs complaint, Drumeler told the Reporter.  “And since I’ve been here, we’ve had some filed. They were investigated an acted upon as appropriate.”

 Hudson Reporter: Disconnected How accessible is the SPD when it comes to complaints against officers

The post Secaucus Police Mishandling Complaints? appeared first on eSecaucus.

Three cars stolen in similar fashion over the past month have sparked Secaucus Police to issue a warning to residents who leave their keys in the ignition of vehicles.

First Ward Councilman Gary Jeffas said the recent thefts occurred after people left their car engines running and jumped out to run a quick errand.

“Take the time to shut it off and lock it if you’re just running out,” said Jeffas, passing along the reminder at the request of the police.

First Ward Councilman Rob Costantino said he was previously the victim of a similar theft. “It does happen,” he said sheepishly. “So please, listen to Gary.”

The post Car Thefts Spark Warning appeared first on eSecaucus.

A YouTube video posted by Hudson County TV shows Gary Pollack at this week’s Town Council meeting accusing the Secaucus police of harassment.

Pollack claims he has been unjustly targeted and arrested in recent months. He also charges the Secaucus Police Department with overlooking certain crimes in order to keep the town’s official crime rate artificially low. Secaucus mayor Michael Gonnelli responds to his accusations, educating Pollack on the division of powers within the municipal government.

See the full video below:

The post Resident Accuses Secaucus Police of Abuse appeared first on eSecaucus.

This week police arrested 30-year-old Jose Gonzalez of Acorn Road in Secaucus for possession of marijuana and heroin.

Bail was set on Wednesday at $150,000 for Gonzalez, who was also in possession of $30,000 of drug proceeds. He was charged with the intent to distribute drugs within 1,000 feet of Secaucus High School and 500 feet of Farm Road Park.

Police arrested Gonzalez after responding to a domestic dispute call in which he struck a woman in the face. Authorities found the cash and suspected drugs in a safe and a vehicle at the scene.

Gonzalez was previously sentenced to five years probation for possession of drugs with intent to distribute near school property. He faces up to ten years in prison if convicted.

Secaucus Police Officers will interact with members of the community on Wednesday, July 16, in an event the town is calling “Coffee with a Cop”.

Members of the local police force will answer questions and address concerns from residents on Wednesday morning from 9:30 to 11:00 am at Natoli’s Deli. The event is open to anyone.

Natoli’s is located at 300 Clarendon Street in Secaucus.

Secaucus police announced they made three arrests on Friday evening during an undercover reverse prostitution sting at a local hotel.

The police charged three men from surrounding towns with soliciting and engaging in prostitution after the men responded to an online classified ad listed by the police. Daniel Lopez, 34, of Union City, 27-year-old Adam Nadeau of Fairfield, and Juan A. Hidalgo-Gonzales, 27, of West New York were nabbed.

“Prostitution is not a victimless crime like many people may think,” acting Secaucus Police Chief John Cerny said in a statement. “Along with it come other issues such as: human trafficking, drug activity, and robberies. We plan to remain proactive in the future as we will continue to target both prostitutes and their customers by doing various types of stings on a regular basis.”

Fresh on the heels of a recent undercover bust of prospective prostitution clients, Secaucus Police arrested three prostitutes in an undercover sting on October 30.

The three women were caught at a local hotel after an undercover officer responded to an online classified ad posted by the defendants.

Sherry Becker, 51, of Jersey City and Kia Morris, 28, of Hillside and Jenna Youngs, 27, of Belleville were taken into custody.

“We are continuing to remain proactive by targeting both prostitutes and their customers as we conduct various types of stings on a regular basis,” acting Police Chief John Cerny said in a statement. “This is just one aspect of our overall campaign regarding quality of life issues. We are also investigating any complaints of drug activity, underaged drinking, as well as any traffic safety related issues such as speeding in residential neighborhoods.”

The Secaucus Police Department was shaken last week when officer Michael Cucciniello was charged with selling a prescription steroid on eBay.

Cucciniello, 43, was selling a gel called Androgel testosterone on the online auction site, according to authorities.

“It’s a dark day for the Secaucus Police Department,” acting Secaucus Police Chief John Cerny told The Jersey Journal. “Police officers are sworn to uphold laws. They also have to abide by those very same laws. Wrongdoing will not be tolerated.”

The officer was arrested following an investigation by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Internal Affairs Unit. Cucciniello has been suspended without pay and will appear in Central Judicial Processing court in Jersey City on Friday.

The charge is for a third-degree crime, which carries a potential sentence of three to five years.

Secaucus police officer Michael Cucciniello, who was arrested last week, made his first court appearance on Friday.

Cuccinello is charged with selling the illegal gel Androgel testosterone on eBay. He appeared in Central Judicial Processing court in Jersey City for only a couple of minutes, in which the judge commented “No further action is needed,” according to The Jersey Journal.

The 43-year-old officer is a 12-year veteran of the force and made in excess of $100,000 last year. He had been suspended without pay but it being allowed to use some of his compensation time.

Cuccinello’s next court date has not yet been scheduled.

Secaucus Police Officer Jude Masullo has been charged for driving while intoxicated, reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident, according to The Jersey Journal.

On November 5, Masullo reportedly hit a parked car while trying to park his car on Franklin Street. A neighbor called the police, who brought Masullo to the North Bergen Police Department. A Breathalyzer test revealed Masullo’s blood alcohol level was above the legal limit of 0.08.

Masullo has been placed on desk duty pending a resolution to the case. He may also face charges from the Secaucus Police Department.

The 31-year-old Masullo has been a member of the Secaucus Police Department since 2010. He will appear in Kearny Municipal Court to avoid a conflict of interests.

Secaucus’ acting Police chief John Cerny announced his retirement on Wednesday after 26 years in the department.

Cerny has been acting has head of the police force since the retirement of Dennis Corcoran in early 2014. Captain Kevin Flaherty is expected to be appointed as the new head of the Secaucus Police Department at the next Town Council meeting.

The announcement came a few weeks after two Secaucus police officers were arrested for separate incidents involving the selling of illegal steroids on eBay and driving under the influence.

Secaucus mayor Michael Gonnelli’s office issued a statement Thursday responding to acting Police Chief John Cerny’s retirement statement.

Cerny announced his retirement earlier in the week and subsequently released a statement that cited issues with Gonnelli and the Town Council as part of the cause.

Gonnelli’s office responded with a statement of their own, praising Cerny’s tenure while assuring they were simply taking a measured approach to announcing a permanent chief.

The rift is now being widely reported on, with stories appearing in The Record and The Jersey Journal.

The full statement from Gonnelli’s office is as follows:

I am somewhat disheartened that Deputy Chief Cerny has put out a public statement that I believe requires some clarification on our position and to address any rumors and speculation.

It is correct that the Mayor and Town Council are not yet ready to make the decision to appoint a police chief, as the position has only been vacant for 6 months.  Deputy Chief Cerny was given, and had the full power and authority to run the Department as acting chief.  The Council was unaware of any thoughts on retirement until his papers were submitted on December 1^st.  After filing for retirement, as the Deputy Chief stated, an attempt was made to offer him a contract in his acting role to see if he would reconsider, to no avail.   I stand behind my praise of the Deputy Chief for his efforts during his short period as acting chief, as well as my praise for his prior years of leadership.

Regarding the Mayor and Council’s position; in a world where policing is the focus of our everyday news, this governing body wants to make sure that a permanent appointment, which will affect the community for many years to come, is thoughtfully made with a focus on both the department and community.

Statements, pressure or threats cannot form the basis of any decision, particularly one of such great importance and with such a long term impact to the Town.  It is unfortunate that the Deputy Chief chose to retire in such a swift manner, but I can assure all of our residents that we are taking the proper actions to make sure that our police department is continuing to move in the right direction and is not distracted by this in any way.  Over the last 4 years we have added over 18 new police officers to our force, with 5 more on the way.  These new men and women, fresh out of the academy, will need the support from the senior officers to the rank and file, and it is our job to make sure that happens.

On a personal note, I wake up every morning with the same thought in mind, what can I do to make the quality of life better for all who live and work here… that remains my singular focus and goal.

The Secaucus Police Department has received two defibrillators as a donation from local Boy Scout Issac Williams.

In his efforts to reach the rank of Eagle Scout, Williams raised $1,500 for the police to purchase the potentially life-saving devices, as reported in The Jersey Journal.

“This is what the Boy Scouts are all about,” mayor Michael Gonnelli told the Journal. “This is a true life saving project. We have two brand new police cars coming in with no defibs and now we have two new defibs to put in our new cars.”

Williams hosted some local events to raise the money and presented the mayor and Captain Kevin Flaherty with the equipment in the Town Council Chambers last week in front of his family and fellow Boy Scouts.

A senior at Secaucus High School, Williams told the Journal that he hopes to have a future career in law enforcement, saying “I love law enforcement and I respect the job.”

Secaucus is in the midst of searching for a new police chief, according to an article in The Jersey Journal on Saturday.

Town Administrator David Drumeler told the newspaper that the job opening was posted on February 2 and there are nine potential candidates from within the department that will be interviewed.

Currently, Captain Kevin Flaherty has been serving as the active police chief since the sudden retirement of John Cerny in December.

Cerny made headlines late last year for announcing his departure after only six months as active police chief. He subsequently blamed Secaucus Mayor Michael Gonnelli and the Town Council for denying him the full-time position as punishment for disagreements with the administration.

A Secaucus police officer was sent to the hospital with minor injuries after getting hit by Hudson County Sheriff’s van on County Avenue.

The officer was directing traffic near the intersection of County Avenue and UPS Drive on Monday morning when he was struck by the van, which hit a patch of ice while attempting to stop.

Luckily, the van was not traveling fast and the officer was released from Hackensack University Medical Center with only minor injuries.