A Message from Mayor Morieko

To the Glen Rock Community:

In difficult times, as a Community, Glen Rock always rises to the occasion. We witnessed this during Hurricane Sandy and during Covid. But after this new, unprecedented event at Wilde Memorial, that spirit has yet to be fully ignited.

I believe in our Glen Rock community spirit; I believe in the power of individuals to affect change; I believe that if we were all given a moment to sit and think about the words we say to others, and the way in which we jump to conclusions during times of fear, we could come to a place where that community spirit would emerge, thrive, and renew our respect for one another. I am especially concerned after residents of color have shared they do not feel safe with the rhetoric seen on social media.

To move forward, we must acknowledge that we all want the same thing– to keep our community, especially our children, safe. To do so, we must understand the facts and circumstances, many of which have been inaccurately taken as truths, and work together.

Below, please find a helpful list of those facts which can be shared by the Governing Body:

1. The Glen Rock Police Department (GRPD) has 27 sworn members (both officers and Class III Special officers). They work in squads of 4 officers split into two 12 hour shifts per day. For the past 30 years, there has been no 24-hour presence at the station with the absence of a desk officer. During the day, you are likely to find more employees working in the GRPD with the records department, detectives, and command staff present. After hours, you may utilize the call box in the elevator lobby at Borough Hall to accommodate any walk-ins, or the non-emergency police line at 201-652-3800, to contact an officer.
2. The Glen Rock Police Department is an autonomous agency who is bound by the policies and procedures of the Office of the Attorney General. As Governors enact their own laws, the local PDs must adapt and accommodate. This can be seen through Governor Christie’s “Catch and Release” Bail reform measures which release those charged with crimes quickly and Governor Murphy’s “Decriminalization of Marijuana” which limits the ability of the PD to approach and apprehend. At no time may anyone, let alone a local governing body, mandate their Police Department’s operating procedures. It would be criminal misconduct for any mayor to direct any officer to act or to stand down under any circumstance.
3. Central Dispatch, our 911 call center, is located at 30 Garber Square, Ridgewood and serves many towns for EMS, Fire, and Police. When calls are made to 911, it is best to have an exact address or proper name for a location, so the call operator knows precisely where you are. Central Dispatch enters the information into a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system that is shared with the officer in charge. Additionally, the Police Chief and command staff are informed via radio. The Security Director of the Schools also has a police issued radio.
4. When events occur requiring a police response, Central Dispatch would notify the GRPD, and, if requested, notify other agencies to assist. At no time is there a notification to either a member of the Governing Body or Borough Administrator. Neither the Governing Body nor the Borough Administrator are part of the chain of command.
5. The GRPD may choose to send a NIXLE to the community, which may include a “shelter in place” if directed by the GRPD, which would be activated by Central Dispatch. This is an Opt-In notification which must be undertaken by each resident individually. To be added to the distribution list click here: Nixle Sign Up. 
6. Reverse 911 notifications are sent using RAVE Smart 911 which is managed by the Office of Emergency Management (OEM). This is an Opt-In system which may be signed up for at this link: RAVE Smart 911 Sign Up. (Previously, the Borough used Swiftreach – if you had subscribed to Swiftreach that should have been pulled into RAVE. It would be prudent to re-enter your information again to be sure you are on the list.) With RAVE, OEM has the technology to send emails, voicemails, and text messages.  The Borough Administrator, the Governing Body, and the Communications Coordinator do not have access to the RAVE system. 
7. The Borough of Glen Rock has a communications coordinator who manages the website (www.glenrocknj.net) and who prepares and sends the weekly email blasts. In addition, they may also send out time sensitive updates or messages of importance to the public at the request of the governing body. The Communications Coordinator is not notified by either Central Dispatch or the GRPD of any events. To sign up for the Glen Rock Emails, click here: Glen Rock Email Blast Sign Up

We are working with our GRPD, OEM, Parks and Rec, Borough Administrator, BCPO, legal counsel, and others to ensure that going forward, the Borough improves communications and public awareness of the safety measures in place by: 

• Modifying the protocols to allow RAVE to send messages to the Borough Administrator, OEM, and the Governing Body to alert us of critical events. Additionally, OEM is preparing standard messages that the Borough can push out to the public in the future, independent of OEM.  
• Accepting an offer to donate cameras and working with our technology provider to receive quotes for the installation and streaming of video to both the GRPD and Central Dispatch. Currently a camera is in place at the Courts.
• Creating a working group, under direction of the GRPD, to study all parks and make an assessment of any risks which are both seen and conveyed through resident feedback. 
• The Basketball Courts will remain closed until after the fun fair, at which time we expect to have a direction as to the future use/permit options/capacity limitations/etc. to ensure that all are able to use the site with measures in place to prevent a future occurrence.
• Auditing and/or Ordering Signage to show that our public parks fall under the “Smoke Free Zone”.

At no time can we represent that any community is 100% safe. The reality of today is that there are more guns, untreated mental illness, desperation, and less accountability. With that, we must all start at home, teaching about situational awareness, making a family plan for emergencies, and trusting our gut to not put ourselves in harm’s way. Under no circumstance should a resident approach or intervene during a police event. 

I am grateful to the parents and coaches who were actively assisting in the immediate moments after the gunfire at Memorial Park on Tuesday May 21, 2024. Their strength and their dedication to our children was incredible, along with our GRPD who were there in those critical first moments. 

Glen Rock is STILL a wonderful town, full of opportunities for all to live, learn, and thrive. There may have been a perceived feeling that we live in a bubble, but as events unfold, we are reminded that bubble never existed. How we move forward is dependent on the collective “we” and the lessons we learn from this experience.

Ever Forward,

Mayor Kristine Morieko