Residents,

I write tonight with important updates regarding community health and safety.

Please review the current Covid-19 Test Positive cases in Florham Park at the link below.  Our community has seen a 4.3% increase in the infection rate in the last week and reports from the Health Department indicate we are beginning an uptick in community spread.  It is incumbent upon all members of the community to remain vigilant in your safety protocols especially as it pertains to congregation with those outside of your family.  The State reported over 1200 infections yesterday, which is the highest number of infections in months.  

https://health.morriscountynj.gov/coronavirus/

Please remember the safety protocols initiated at the onset of the pandemic and review the CDC Safety Guidelines as a refresher.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html

Several surrounding jurisdictions have been victimized by car/home burglary and theft.  Our residents have done an amazing job in securing their vehicles, as well as our proactive high visibility patrol tactics, which has prevented us from being victimized.  However, there is an evolving trend in the criminality of these subjects.  Several jurisdictions are reporting while their residents have been vigilant in removing key fobs from vehicles, they are still leaving the vehicle doors unlocked.  The actors are now entering the unlocked vehicles in driveways and utilizing the garage door openers, within those vehicles, to access other vehicles parked inside the garage, as well as enter the interior portions of homes to search for key fobs, purses or other valuables within close proximity to the garage entrance.  Anytime an actor enters the home of a resident the threat of further, more violent criminality becomes a possibility.  I implore all residents to ensure your vehicles and homes are locked at all times, leave perimeter lighting on throughout the night, remain vigilant and always report suspicious persons, vehicles and/or activity to the police immediately.

The Police Department has received numerous complaints regarding the theft of political signs from both the public and private portions of properties within the Borough.  The Police Department was able to identify one suspect, for the theft of political signs, who was charged accordingly.  All residents are reminded the placement and size of any sign is covered by Borough Ordinance enforceable by the Building/Code Enforcement Departments within the Borough.  Theft of those signs will be investigated by the Police Department and charges will be filed if a suspect can be identified.

Be safe and well!!

Joseph Orlando
Chief of Police/Deputy OEM Coordinator
October 19, 2020

Residents,

Please read this post in its entirety as there is important information regarding sports activities, Halloween and the health and wellbeing of all residents.

The Governor issued Executive Order 187 yesterday authorizing the resumption of No-Contact, Contact and Competitions of Low Risk, Medium Risk and High Risk sporting activities in both outdoor and indoor settings.  The Executive Order can be confusing as it states indoor activities may not exceed 25 persons, however, if the sporting event requires more than 25 persons, inclusive of players, coaches referees, etc, in order to conduct the activity then there is an exemption to allow the activity as long as there are no spectators.  The order requires those indoor sporting activities, covered by the exemption, to remain at 25% capacity, not to exceed 150 person.  

Halloween is a little more than two weeks away and I want to reiterate to everyone the importance of Trick-or-Treating safety.  If you are allowing your children to Trick-or-Treat this year please keep in mind the safety guidance provided by the NJ State Department of Health.  The link for their safety guidelines is below this paragraph.  Several residents have emailed me regarding their unwillingness to participate in the distribution of candy to Trick-or-Treaters, as well as a means to prevent potential Trick-or-Treaters from coming to their homes.  To that end, we suggest those unwilling to participate place a sign at the end of their driveway, as well as at their front door, indicating they are not dispensing candy.  We ask all residents assist us in maintaining a safe environment for all of our residents and be respectful of those not wishing to participate in the distribution of candy.  Please try to refrain from having your children Trick-or-Treat outside your respective neighborhoods.

https://www.state.nj.us/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/NJ_Halloween_2020.pdf

The Police Department will be conducting its annual Safe Night Out event as a Drive-In movie.  The venue will be located at 8 Vreeland Road with sign-up information being distributed through the schools.  Please continue to support our annual event and help maintain a safe environment for our community on Mischief Night.

All residents are reminded the indoor gathering requirement, by the Governor’s Executive Orders, remains at twenty-five (25).  We ask that all residents respect the direction provided by the Executive Order, as well as the health and wellbeing of their community.  The Covid-19 infection rate has been increasing slightly of late, as well as our community’s test positives.  The Morris County Department of Health, which lists daily test positives for Florham Park can be viewed at the link below;

https://health.morriscountynj.gov/coronavirus/

The Police Department, with the guidance and direction of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, will issue summonses to those violating the indoor gathering limitations.

Residents, it’s been a difficult year to say the least.  We’ve persevered to this point, please continue to work together as a community and assist our Department in pushing through to the end of this pandemic while maintaining safety for all our residents, employees and visitors.

Be safe!!

Joseph Orlando
Chief of Police/Deputy OEM Coordinator
October 13, 2020

Residents,

I wanted to touch base with everyone and provide some updates regarding events within the community.  Please read this post in its entirety, as there is very important information regarding voting and community safety contained within.

The Governor issued Executive Order 186, on September 25, 2020, extending the public health emergency an additional thirty (30) days.

National Night Out, annually held the first Tuesday in August, was moved nationally to October 6, 2020 due to issues surrounding the Coronavirus Pandemic.  National Night Out is a tremendous outreach opportunity for our department, in our continuous effort to engage and connect with community members, however, the physical and mental wellbeing of all residents/visitors is of greatest importance, therefore, the Police Department has decided to suspend this year’s event out of an abundance of caution for the safety of the public. 

Safe Night Out, another of our annual events, which is traditionally held at the Florham Park Roller Rink, will be held as an outdoor drive-in movie.  We are still working out the details, which will be distributed by our School Resource Officers through the schools, but we expect to have two different movies with two show times to separate and appeal to the different age groups in attendance.  Please help keep the Florham Park neighborhoods and our children safe by supporting and attending this event on Mischief Night!!

We have received numerous questions surrounding Halloween, Trick or Treating and Trunk or Treat events.  The Police Department/Office of Emergency Management has conferred with Borough Council members, as well as other Borough Officials, and agree that unless an Executive Order issued by the Governor suspends such events that residents should make decisions on whether or not to allow their children to participate in these activities.  We do however want to direct residents to the Center for Disease Control’s (CDCs) recommendations for participating in Halloween events as a guidance for how to do so safely.  The link below will direct residents to the CDCs recommendations;

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays.html#halloween

The Borough Clerk, Mayor and Borough Council members would like to provide all members of the community as much information as possible regarding the voting process for the November 3rd General Election.  Please utilize the link below, which will direct you to the Borough of Florham Park website where extensive information can be found on this year’s voting process;

https://www.fpboro.net/news_events/general-election-november-3/

The Police Department has received several reports of political signs being stolen from the properties of many residents.  We encourage anyone with suspect information or video surveillance to contact the Florham Park Police Detective Bureau.  Residents may also send us messages via Facebook and/or Instagram, or call our dispatch desk and remain anonymous, if you wish.  Illegally displayed signs are enforced by the Borough Zoning Department under Borough Ordinance 199-34, which can be found at the link below;

https://ecode360.com/9090541

Lastly, residents are reminded of the importance of locking your vehicles and homes at all times.  The Police Department has responded to a few motor vehicle burglary reports in the past week, as well as an attempted burglary to an unlocked, occupied residence in the earlier morning hours.  Please help our officers continue to maintain the community of Florham Park as an incredibly safe environment for families by limiting your ability to be victimized.  Any resident in need of crime prevention tips can contact my office directly at 973-410-5440.

Be safe!!

 Joseph Orlando
Chief of Police/Deputy OEM Coordinator
September 30, 2020

Residents,

Last week multiple home invasions occurred in Chatham where an unknown subject entered three homes while the residents were home and asleep. The unknown subject stole items and keys to a vehicle, which was also stolen.

Also last week, an unoccupied Florham Park residence was burglarized in the early morning hours resulting in an approximate $3,500 loss of valuables. Detectives and Patrol officers responded to the scene to investigate after being notified of the crime by a house sitter. Several independent witnesses, from the neighborhood, came forward during the investigation to provide information. Neighborhood residents observed a vehicle and a suspect around the victim’s residence at approximately 10:30pm. Additional neighborhood residents observed a second vehicle at the victim’s residence at approximately 3:00am. Both witnesses provided detailed information regarding the time of events and the vehicles they observed. Further investigation revealed the suspect is known to the victim and Detectives were able to corroborate the neighborhood witnesses’ accounts thus connecting the suspect to the scene of the crime through various investigative techniques.

Search warrants were obtained for the suspect’s residence and executed resulting in the arrest of the suspect for various crimes, including burglary and theft, as well as the recovery of the victim’s property. This investigation was an excellent example of the power residents serve as force multipliers for the police. The neighbors surrounding the victim’s residence provided key information to Detectives who were able to develop a suspect, corroborate information provided, and establish significant probable cause, as a result, enabling them the ability to obtain a search warrant which uncovered evidence that solved this investigation.

Sir Robert Peel, who is deemed “The Father of Modern Policing” established Sir Robert Peel’s 9 Principles of Policing, in the 1800’s. The 7th principle states “the police are the public and the public are the police.” In essence, the police and the community are one and must work seamlessly together in order to provide the highest quality of service to the community. This incident and subsequent investigation is a testament to Robert Peel’s centuries old principles in community policing and the power of positive police community relations.

This incident and the Chatham incidents should be stark reminders to all residents to ensure your homes and vehicles are secure at all times. If possible, outdoor lighting should remain on throughout the night and residents should always deem suspicious activity, persons and or vehicles in their neighborhood as relevant. Please contact the police immediately whenever suspicious activity is observed.

Thank you to the neighbors who assisted in the successful conclusion of this investigation and to all Borough residents for the role you play in helping our Department maintain public safety.

Joseph Orlando
Chief of Police
September 16, 2020

Click here to sign up for the new community alert notification system

AlertFlorhamPark will allow you to get emergency notifications in any manner you choose, including phone, email, text, or social media, so you can stay informed during major storms or other emergencies taking place in Florham Park or throughout Morris County. Users have the ability to enter multiple addresses located in multiple jurisdictions within a single profile. If you care for a loved one who lives in another Morris County town and want to be notified of issues affecting that person’s municipality, your one registration process will satisfy that need.

AlertFlorhamPark also offers a free Smart911 signup option for county residents, providing a greatly enhanced and potentially lifesaving 9-1-1 emergency call service for anyone who registers for it.

Smart911 is FREE, and your information is secure, accessible only to a 9-1-1 call taker. This service can provide key information to responders that can make your family safer. For example:

• Address Details: How to access your home, number of bedrooms, location of utility shut-offs, and if you live in a multi-family building;
• Family Details: Number of residents, ages, photos of children, and your landline and mobile phone numbers;
• Medical Information: Medical conditions of certain residents, medications taken/required, allergies, mobility of residents, and if special equipment is needed in an emergency;
• Animals: A list of your pets, service animals and livestock, and their names so responders are aware of them as they enter your home. Also, include the name of your veterinarian;
• Emergency Contacts: Family members, friends or neighbors to be contacted in case of an emergency;
• Vehicles: Make, model and license plate number in case of a motor vehicle accident.

Residents can offer as much or as little information to first responders through Smart911 as they wish.