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The Observer | www.theobserver.com
Wednesday, April 15, 2020
From a King, and cop’s perspective: Policing in a Coronavirus world By Kevin Canessa kc@theobserver.com
Call Today at:
201.991.0067
432 Ridge Road | North Arlington, NJ | www.RipostaLaw.com
To all of our customers, friends and neighbors, I hope you are all well and can find some comfort in this trying time. We here at Kearny Collision are working hard to continue servicing our customers’ needs while making sure we follow the CDC guidelines to help keep us all safe. We are open for business and are in constant contact with Insurance Companies to help expedite claims, issues, and any concerns you may have. The safety of our customers and employees are our top priority.
• WE ARE AVAILABLE 24/7 TO HELP IF YOU NEED US • WE WILL PROVIDE DIGITAL PAPERWORK IF YOU PREFER • WE ARE OFFERING FREE PICK-UP AND DELIVERY TO OUR CUSTOMERS • YOUR VEHICLE WILL BE DISINFECTED PRIOR TO US REPAIRING AND ONCE REPAIRS ARE COMPLETED
May God bless you and your families and with His help I pray that this time passes quickly.
201.955.0606
NJ LICENSED AND INSURED (LIC. 00849A)
530 Kearny Avenue, Kearny NJ 07032
In a matter of days, in midMarch, everything changed for police departments everywhere. What was ordinary became no so ordinary. And yet, despite the challenges police departments have seen everywhere, Kearny Police Chief George King says he and his department are “OK.” We spoke with King late last week — on the phone — and what we heard was comforting. “We’re doing all we need to to protect our members — the PPE — masks, etc.,” King said. “Whether it’s at headquarters or out on the streets, we’re making sure we do all we can to not expose anyone to the virus.” And it’s succeeding, so far, knock on wood. Every police department in Hudson County, to this point, has at least one member who has tested positive for COVID-19 … except for the Kearny Police Department. “Nor is anyone even quarantined,” King said. “That’s the good part. All of our officers are well protected with the proper gear.” But this doesn’t mean the department hasn’t had its risks. Last week, on a call, several officers of different ranks were put at risk when a man who was trying to enter parked cars reportedly coughed on his arresting officer — and the others who were on scene — and then said “I have Corona.” “The officers there showed great restraint,” King said. Gotta wonder if things might have been different were it 30 years ago. That said, the idiot in this case was admitted to the Hudson County Jail, and they probably wouldn’t have allowed him in were he
positive for COVID-19. (Or maybe they would). So it’s safe to say he probably didn’t have the virus, though his past is being traced just in case. Residents … remain vigilant Chief King says he hopes residents will remain vigilant during these trying times. While the focus of many residents is on their health and well-being, he says it’s vitally important for people not to let their guard down now. “We’re asking our people to keep vigilant,” King said. “Like we saw the other day, criminals don’t stop because of a virus. There was the case of the guy trying car door handles. So residents should continue to remember to lock the doors of their cars and their homes. “Be aware of your neighborhoods. If you see a wanderer in your neighborhood, ask yourself, ‘What is he doing here?’ If the person seems displaced, call us (at 201-998-1313) and let us know. What we don’t want is people thinking we might be too busy to handle the calls we always handle. We’re not. Always make the call. We will keep neighborhoods safe.” Be kind, but be smart King says it’s times like these when Kearny’s people simply want to help others in their darkest hours. Still, it’s vital for everyone to be aware that there will be scam artists out there who will “look to take advantage” of people with big hearts. “For example, we will never call anyone and say we’re raising money for the department, looking for donations,” King said. “There will be people out there — frauds — who will See KING, Page 16
