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Glen
Rock Police Department Welcomes Four New Auxiliary Officers

2008 Graduates of the Bergen County Auxiliary Police Academy
Left to Right: P.O. Robert Wojtecki, A.P.O. Robert Boncore,
A.P.O. Atalay Akat, Sr. A.P.O. Ryan Zakrzewski, A.P.O. Robert
Hursthouse, A.P.O. Christopher Schmitt, Chief Steven D. Cherry.
The Glen Rock Police Department would like to
welcome four new auxiliary police officers. They completed
a eight week academy at the Bergen County Law and Public Safety
Institute in Mahwah where they were educated in assisting sworn
officers in areas of traffic control, to C.P.R. They join
six other current members of the auxiliary police.

2003 Auxiliary Police Officers
Seated
(L - R) Chief James Winters, Lt. Paul Balch
Standing
(L-R) A.P.O. Brad Adams, A.P.O. Jeff Casson, A.P.O. Matt
Hoogmoed, A.P.O Robert Kibler, A.P.O.Kevin Walther
Police
Auxiliary Chief Honored
Left
to Right: Aux. Chief James Winters, Chief Steven D. Cherry, PBA President
P.O. Frank Riggio
Glen
Rock Auxiliary Police Chief James Winters has retired after 32 years of
dedicated service to the Borough. Also
a former member of the Glen Rock Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Chief Winters
joined the Auxiliary Police in 1975 and worked his way through the ranks to
Chief, having succeeded the late John Greve.
Numerous
members of the regular police force, and auxiliary officers, joined the
Mayor and Borough Council in honoring Chief Winters at the Council's
public meeting on April 25th
2007.
Chief Winters was presented a gift and a plaque, from the Borough
and Glen Rock PBA Local # 110 honoring his three decades of selfless
devotion to the residents of Glen Rock.
The members of the Glen Rock Police Department wish Jim the best in his
retirement and his new home in
North Carolina
.
History of the Glen Rock Auxiliary Police
The Auxiliary Police unit was formed in the 1940's under the
Civil Defense operations as a means to assist the Police
Department in times of war. Its function was to provide
the authorities with trained personnel that could direct the
public to shelters and control traffic.
After the war, the roles and responsibilities have changed,
however the basic functions of the Auxiliary Police are still
the same. The Auxiliary's provide a valuable service to the
regular Police Department by providing trained personnel to help
control traffic and crowds at civic events and during natural
disasters or storm related emergencies.
The Auxiliary Officers patrol the borough on scheduled nights
to maintain a greater police presence in an effort to deter
criminal activity and provide an increased sense of security.
While on patrol, officer are assigned to numerous tasks such as
performing security checks of businesses, as well as all borough
properties including the schools and parks, in an effort to curb
vandalism. If an Auxiliary Officer discovers a situation
that requires immediate attention, they are instructed to
immediately notify a sworn officer so that the proper action can
be taken.
In addition to regular patrol duties, one of the primary
functions of today's Auxiliary Officer is to relieve the sworn
officers from tasks that do not require their presence, but still
need a trained officer to be present to assure the public's
safety. The Auxiliary's are dispatched frequently during
storms that down large trees and power lines, or to motor
vehicle accidents and house fires that necessitate roads be
closed or detour be established. These officers may direct
traffic or control an intersection when power has gone out and
the traffic lights are not functioning. The also
assist the Borough by volunteering hours of their own time
providing security or assist at pedestrian crossings for
numerous public gatherings, such a fairs, football games and
parades.
All Auxiliary Officers are required to complete a 54 hour
training course at the Bergen
County Law and Public Safety Institute in Mahwah, NJ., before being
assigned to any duty. At this time, the Glen Rock Auxiliary
Police is comprised of only 7 officers, due to the hiring
of 10 of Glen Rocks' auxiliary officers to the Mesa, Arizona PD,
Hawthorne PD, Ridgewood PD, Tenafly PD, as well as 4 to the Glen Rock Police.
*** Currently the Glen
Rock Auxiliary Police are
NOT looking for
volunteers. ***
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