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United States Senators Jon S. Corzine and Frank R. Lautenberg and Representatives Donald Payne and Robert Menendez formally announced today a $2,787,001 Justice Department grant that will help modernize and integrate the Newark police department’s communications system, pulling together police, fire and emergency medical responders in Newark and surrounding communities.
The grant was issued by the U.S. Justice Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). Newark is one of just 14 cities across the country to share in a total of $66.5 million to integrate communications’ networks among emergency response agencies in major metropolitan areas.
The grants were awarded under an “Interoperable Communications Technology’’ program that is jointly administered by COPS and the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA). The city will provide a 25 percent match of the federal funds.
“We learned on September 11, 2001 how vitally important it is to coordinate communications among our first responders at all levels of government,’’ Senator Corzine said. “This grant is an important step forward to link more than 23,000 police, fire and EMS personnel in six New Jersey counties. The benefits of a coordinated communications’ system will be outstanding. The brave men and women who rush into harm’s way without a moment’s hesitation need the best support available.’’
"This grant will ensure that Newark's first responders have state-of-the-art communications equipment available to respond to emergency situations," Congressman Payne added. "Our community will be better protected through this vital support for those on the front lines - our firefighters, law enforcement officers, and emergency medical personnel."
The Newark Police Department intends to use the federal funds to purchase new communications equipment and build new infrastructure that will allow various agencies to remain in contact even if broadcasting on difference frequencies.
There will be redundancies built into the system, and the Newark Police Department also plans to purchase a mobile communications center that can serve as an emergency on-scene command post.
Newark will serve as the lead department in an inter-county and interagency public safety coalition that includes other emergency management offices and police and fire departments in Essex County and five neighboring counties – Hudson, Union, Morris, Warren and Sussex.
Newark Mayor Sharpe James said the grant will make the Newark Police Department a regional leader in coordinating response to disaster or terrorist attack. “As New Jersey’s largest city, Newark plays a major role in our state’s response to any disaster or terrorist incident. Our department is renowned for its innovative use of high technology and neighborhood policing to fight crime and support homeland security. This grant will enable us to take those operations to a higher level to protect our region.’’
Mayor James joined Senator Corzine and Congressman Payne at a news conference today at the Newark Police and Fire Communications Center in formally unveiling the grant. Senator Lautenberg and Congressman Menendez were unable to attend but released statements.
Senator Lautenberg said, “On 9-11, many first responders in New Jersey and New York could not communicate with each other. In fact, in adjacent counties in New Jersey, police and fire departments, and other emergency service providers, could not readily communicate with each other in order to assess the emergency. This grant to Newark will go a long way toward improving the effectiveness of New Jersey’s emergency preparedness system.”
Congressman Menendez added, “Our local first responders are on the front line of our nation’s defense and can only perform their jobs effectively and safely if they have the ability to communicate with each other, with other agencies, and with other communities. That is why this grant is so important to Newark and New Jersey. It is also why I will continue to work with my colleagues and with our local communities to make sure that similar grants are awarded to make modern and efficient communication systems a reality.’’ |
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