Clinton Township Newsletter

2 m a y 2 0 2 2 W W W . C L I N T O N T W P N E W S L E T T E R . C O M Happy mother's day! Oriental Rug Specialist Since 1934 Sale & Service of Oriental Rugs & Carpets Family Owned and Operated Over 70 Years U.S. Highway 22 E. Whitehouse NJ 08888 908•534•2125 www.vandorenoil.com e-mail: info@vandorenoil.com HEATING OIL • GASOLINE • DIESEL FUEL • BURNER SERVICE • POST-HOLE DIGGING Locally Owned and Operated by Phil & Diane Koury 185 Center St., Clinton | 908.735.4499 Ask Officer Raff: Dear Officer Raff, What is Project Blue Light, and how did it begin? Is that a "thing" here in Hunterdon County? Thank you, from An Officer's Daughter Dear Officer's Daughter, According to the Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.), "Project Blue Light is a nationwide recognition of those Police Officers who have died in the line of duty. By displaying your blue light(s) you send a message that you support America's Peacekeepers. The idea for 'Project Blue Light' began in 1988 when Mrs. Dolly Craig wrote to C.O.P.S. (Concerns of Police Survivors) that she would be putting two blue candles in her living room window: one for her son-in-law, Daniel Gleason, who had been killed in the line of duty while serving the Philadelphia (PA) Police Department on June 5, 1986, and one for her daughter and Danny's wife, Pam, who had been killed in an automobile accident in August 1988. Anyone wanting to show support for law enforcement in our communities can display a blue porch light or blue electric candle in their window at any time, but especially during National Police Week. In 1962, President Kennedy declared May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day and the calendar week in which May 15 falls, as National Police Week. (https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2022/) Sincerely, Officer Raff n Clinton Township Patrol Officer Raffaella Vastola grew up locally in Kingwood Township. Officer Raff serves as the School Resource Officer at North Hunterdon High School. She brings over 18 years of law enforcement experience and training (serving almost seven years with CTPD), including Safe Schools Resource Officer, Law Enforcement Against Drugs, Active Shooter Instructor and Crisis Intervention Team certifications to North Hunterdon High School. She and her husband currently live in Raritan Township with their five children, two of whom serve in the military (Marine Corps and the Navy). Officer Raff thinks Clinton Township is a wonderful place to work, live and raise a family, and she is very proud to serve and protect our community with a dedicated group of men and women who help to keep it that way for everyone. n JUNIOR POLICE ACADEMY RETURNS! The Clinton Township Police are pleased to announce the return of our Junior Police Academy! This year, the Academy will be held from June 27, 2022, through July 1. We will once again be partnering with South Branch Emergency Services to bring this worthwhile program to our youth. The Academy is open to young adults who are 12 - 16 years of age as of June 27, 2022; preference will be given to Township residents. The Junior Police Academy is designed to motivate young people to be outstanding citizens through law enforcement education and encourages our young citizens to be partners, in building a safer community; a cornerstone for community policing. The program runs for one week each summer and it educates its participants on the various facets of criminal law, procedure, and enforcement. The academy is generally held within the public school district and includes both theoretical and practical lessons in a variety of areas. Additionally, recruits are treated to several off-site trips to Law Enforcement-related venues. Most young people do not understand what police officers do, or why they do it. The Junior Police Academy is designed to take the mystery out of law enforcement and to provide a positive learning environment transforming the conception that police officers merely respond to crimes, to being positive role models and a pro-active force in creating safe communities. While not all the participants that attend this academy may want to become police officers in the future, the program does instill confidence and a sense of achievement within our young recruits. Overall, the Junior Police Academy has proven to be a valuable experience for all involved and has provided a vital link between the Police Department and the youth of Clinton Township. The overwhelming success of the Junior Police Academy has far exceeded the expectations of everyone involved. This program attracts a highly motivated group of recruits, and the Instructors thoroughly enjoy their interaction with these young people. Please check our website (www. CTPD.org) or follow us on Facebook and Instagram, where we will share more details, including applications, soon!

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