It's a world famous News Roundup today!

And with so many news stories needing rounding up let's get to it.

* Jersey City mayor-elect Steve Fulop is rather upset about the money being doled out in terminal-leave payouts for retiring police chief Tom Comey and others ands is ordering a full audit. Fulop said some of these guys filed paperwork as if they hadn't taken a sick day in 30 years.

* Jersey City will have 12 sprinklers open this Memorial Day weekend along with both pools to cool off in (though the temps might not get much above 70).

* State alcohol authorities busted 29 NJ bars in "Operation Swill." They caught the bars putting lesser kinds of booze in high falutin' bottles and charged customers the premium price for swill. As if you needed yet another reason to NOT go to TGI Fridays, 13 of the 29 caught ripping off customers were indeed TGI Fridays.

* Truth is stranger than fiction. We send well wishes to the JC warehouse worker who had 1500 lbs. of pineapples fall on him.

* The New York Yankees and English Premiere League team Manchester City are going in together on the 20th Major League Soccer team scheduled to start pay in 2015. Somebody better tell the Yankees MLS has a shitty salary cap.

Once again a good deed goes wanting

Jerry Walker was putting on a public service/campaign event at Journal Square today and was run off by the JCPD. Now before you get all angried up here's what happened. Walker was holding a 'Haircuts for the Homeless' event and had three barbers giving away haircuts for the homeless near the 9/11 memorial. The event was shut down by Tom Comey's boys who said Walker needed a permit to give away haircuts apparently. There's a law on the books dealing with this must be. Certainly it has nothing to do with Mayor Healy not being happy with Mr. Walker for staying in the race and perhaps taking votes Healy was counting on now does it? Jerry Walker wouldn't blame the mayor for shutting down his event, would he?

“I wouldn’t blame it on the mayor,” Walker said. “But it’s the police department, he’s the chief in charge, right?”

Jennifer Morrill went all Radar O'Reilly on M*A*S*H* about proper forms and triplicate and regulations:

City spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill said park permits must be obtained to host events in that area of Journal Square.

That area. Just that area? Ten feet one way or another? Is over here on spec? So another good deed goes undone in Jersey City where one week before the mayoral election we see the powerbrokers and their loyalists from all across the city (and now Hoboken) in several pitched battles on several fronts spending tens of thousands of dollars while those residents with lesser means can't even get a free goddamn haircut.

NOW you can get angried up.

A point of order on the "perception of crime" issue

Yes we have talked at length about that residents feel under siege from crime in Jersey City and the Healy Administration and Police Chief Tom Comey say these are just perceptions when you look at FBI crime stats.

OK, we know where everyone stands. Now, about something adding to the perception of crime in Jersey City. The Jersey City Police website USED to have crime statistics from 1990-current (as current as possible but you get the idea). Now, one can get from 1990-2006 and from January 2011 til December 2011 so the question citizens might ask is, where are the crime stats from 2007-2010? Jerramiah Healy was the Mayor during those years. If he is going to hold up certain statistics for his benefit, the other numbers for the missing years MUST be made available for a regular Joe to pick through and compare. To simply not have these numbers in the public realm on a city website is the exact kind of thing that makes citizens wonder aloud if there's not some kind of three card monty going on with crime stats. Again, perception.

Mayor Healy and Chief Comey, it would be a good thing if those crime stats from 2007-2010 were to reappear on the JCPD website.

Remember the citizen initiative to bring attention to the crime issue here in Jersey City?

They have succeeded in getting two town hall-style meetings with Mayor Jerramiah Healy, Police Chief Tom Comey and several new detectives heading up the new Community Response Team.

Mayor Healy will no doubt get to double down on his "crime is not that bad the FBI says so" theme and tell residents, likely voting residents, it's all in the perception that roils from the media and the blogosphere. That could be a fun point of discussion. Or to a person who has had their house broken into and vandalized it DOES feel like a violent crime.

But back to the good of a citizen initiative. It's good this will be discussed openly and every question deserves an answer, not a spin answer. City council chambers, Thursday at 6pm, City Hall on Grove St.

280 Grove St.

Be there, Aloha.

The failure of Mayor Healy's starry-eyed Snooki-mania

Mayor Healy, Jersey City here. Well of course not all of Jersey City, but we're guessing a pretty solid majority of Jersey City.

What were you thinking? When you decided to allow this Snooki and J-WOWW spin-off in Jersey City what information did you have that Dawn Zimmer in Hoboken and Cory Booker in Newark didn't have? Why would they turn this mess down (and Cory Booker out and out said it was over public safety and police distribution as to why the show was not welcome to film in Newark) and you allow it?

Saturday at LEAST 5 uniformed police stood around Mercer and Grove acting like total jerks to residents while the production crew shut down the intersection to film Snooki and J-WOWW walking from their pink-tinged Escalade to their new front door. All those police were needed somehow Mayor? Johnny was there, he was one of your taxpaying residents who was treated poorly by the JCPD. Johnny and five friends were waiting to get into Marco and Pepe's for brunch. The tables were full as was the lobby. We were waiting outside. A JCPD officer strolled over from doing nothing and told us we had to move along. Johnny and his party told the officer "NO, we're good waiting right here." He was more adamant "Move along, KEEP moving." Again we told him NO. "We have business with THIS restaurant we're standing in front of, we're causing no trouble." He walked away only to come back AGAIN after a couple minutes to again tell us we couldn't stand there.

Mayor Healy, is this what you wanted? People being harassed outside a Jersey City restaurant by your police? Do you want people to leave the downtown area and maybe go eat in Hoboken until we can not be bothered in OUR city in which WE pay taxes?

Once more, we told the officer we were, in no uncertain terms, NOT MOVING. We don't NEED to move. Finally officer friendly walked away to hassle people even FURTHER from where they were filming. Amazing.

Whom does the JCPD work for, MTV or Jersey City residents? Wait, don't answer that...

Yesterday the Jersey Journal reported that THREE JCPD officers stood outside the new Snooki residence on Mercer while NOTHING happened. THREE. No doubt the JCPD has no trouble with this arrangement. Maybe some free overtime being handed out on that duty.

Mayor (and Tom Comey) why does it take THREE police officers to watch Snooki's doorbell? That's just giving away free city resources. Why aren't two of these officers patrolling The Heights or Greenville (NOT free overtime)? On construction projects around town there is only one officer standing by yet Snooki has three. Mayor Healy, WHY is that?

We don't care if the show's producers are helping out with costs, they should be so don't say "The cost of three officers is taken care of." NOT The point. Why aren't the taxpayers in Greenville being given more police protection when police are clearly available? That IS the point.

Recently Mayor Healy sounded put off when asked if the Downtown was getting all the attention while other areas of the city suffer. Here is case and point. Case and point Mayor, your critics were right again.

And you made it so easy for them.

Jersey City Police Chief Tom Comey 1 -- Steroid using cops 0

Jersey City Police Chief Tom Comey did a good and proper thing. When he was tipped off that some of his officers were getting a LOT of steroids in a rather dubious way, from a doctor under investigation he did what a lot of company CEO's or HR directors would do, he made the cops pee in a cup.

Oh but the indignity from the cops involved, seven officers sued. How DARE Comey tell them that because they were suspected of using steroids they had to take the drug test. Wow guys, welcome to the REAL world. Know what, if that happens out here with us unwashed masses we get to pee in a cup and can be fired for the test results.

Comey, who was tipped to the steroid use by a New York City internal affairs captain, ordered his officers to undergo tests and put them on modified duty pending the results. Officers who had elevated levels of testosterone — a hallmark of steroid use — remained on desk duty until those levels returned to a normal range.

Thankfully the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia agreed with Police Chief Comey, police under him CAN legally be tested (like the rest of us at our jobs).

While we have a pretty positive view of the JCPD, these cops who sued need to wake up and smell the coffee. You were getting steroids in a system described as:

"...officers obtained prescriptions from a doctor who, authorities say, faked diagnoses in many cases to accommodate clients’ desires to get bigger and stronger. Some of the drugs were then sent by mail from a Brooklyn pharmacy investigators determined was little more than an illegal steroid mill."

Johnny would say someone with a prescription for medical marijuana from their personal doctor would be more on the up and up than these steroid clowns. But of course these same seven cops would most likely have no trouble arresting someone with a tiny amount of medical bud while overlooking their own legal drug issues, because after all, well they're cops and some think they are above the law they swear to uphold.

Good for Tom Comey for acting in the best interests of Jersey City.

Mary DiNardo has filed a federal suit against Jersey City and the Chief of Police, Tom Comey

To Johnny there are really two parts to this story. First the procedural. Mary DiNardo, widow of Jersey City Detective Marc DiNardo, who was killed storming a Reed Street apartment on July 16, 2009, has filed a Federal suit against Jersey City and JCPD Chief Tom Comey.

The Jersey Journal points out the procedural wrangling in this case:

Barring extraordinary circumstances, Mary DiNardo had 90 days to give notice that she intended to sue, but she did not file the $10 million notice of tort until June 2010.

She argued the delay was due to her emotional distress and because the Police Department refused to give her a copy of its report on the fatal shooting of her husband. Loftis said police “stonewalled” the widow and still have not given her the report.

Messy horrible stuff. We feel terribly for Mrs. DiNardo. We also have an awful lot of respect for the JCPD who protect us from animals like Hassan Shakur and Amanda Anderson. There is however a looked over fact in this case that has bothered Johnny since that terrible day.

The second part has an awful lot to do with a quote from Sun Tzu's The Art of War "A skilled commander seeks victory from the situation and does not demand it of his subordinates." This very idea is part of Mrs. DiNardo's new lawsuit where it says "tactical decisions were made by someone untrained to do so." Now this MAY hold merit. Once Shakur and Anderson were holed up in their apartment and the rest of the Reed St. building had been evacuated, what exactly was the rush to go in? You then have all the time in the world to wait them out, strategize and not put Marc DiNardo and the other four officers who were shot into harm's way. The building was evacuated. The tactical choice is not to shoot your way into a room. The tactical choice would be to tear gas the room and wait for the two criminals to come out to YOUR fortified position. Make them come to you, don't bust in a door and make an easy target for a man with a shotgun. Police knew Shakur had a shotgun, he'd fired it at them as this situation began to unfold around 5:30 am as seen in this clip released by the JCPD. Yep, that's a shotgun alright.


It just makes no damned sense.

Chief Comey released a statement saying “We disagree completely with the allegations made by the attorney for Mrs. DiNardo and as this matter is still in litigation we are not going to comment any further other than to say that when all of the evidence and facts are presented, the city’s position will once again be affirmed.”

We had a feeling this sad day was coming, now we hope Mrs. DiNardo and her children can somehow find peace after this violent episode that has taken something from all of us here in Jersey City.

Another murder in Jersey City last night -- UPDATED

Wasn't it just yesterday that Jersey City Chief of Police Tom Comey was saying how the FBI was interpreting Jersey City's violent crime statistics wrong and making us (the city, the police chief, the police and the mayor) look bad? Can't misinterpret this one Chief.

An unidentified person was shot in his SUV where he was sitting with friends last night at Bidwell Avenue near Martin Luther King Drive. A man approached the vehicle to rob the people in it and the victim was then shot in the chest. The victim was taken to Jersey City Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 1:15 am.

When you click the link and read the story one thing you'll notice is that any big crime that happens in Jersey City involving a resident is never commented on by Chief Comey or Mayor Healy. You'll only see Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio make a statement.

If we don't talk about it, it never happened, eh boys?

Maybe the Mayor's Spokesperson Jennifer Morrill will have a comment for us on how well the computerized system of cutting down on crime in Jersey City is working later today along with a cost effectiveness break down.

Don't hold your breath.

UPDATE 4:48 pm: The victim's name is Anthony Adams and he is a U.S. Marine who had served his country in Iraq. What a heinous loss. Police are looking for Earl Austin who is 20 years old and lives on Bartholdi Avenue. If you know where Earl can be found please call police. He is considered armed and dangerous. Of course if citizens were to catch and disarm him and were to say tie him up by his belt loops to a flagpole and play pinata we'd be OK with that outcome too. Corporal Adams leaves behind a mother, sister and pregnant girlfriend.

Has anyone been following the JCPD steroids scandal?

It really is disgraceful that some people trusted with the safety of this city have become common drug users. ANY police officer found procuring or using these roid-rage inducing ILLEGAL drugs should be kicked off the payroll and their pension money (if any is involved) should be forfeit.

JCPD from time to time get rough with those carrying small amounts of marijuana. Who ever knew the guys with the badges would be bigger drug abusers than some local potheads. Now, not ALL JCPD officers chose this route, it should be pointed out. We would like to know how many stood up and said anything about it to their supervisors however. Those enabling this kind of behavior are almost as bad as those taking the steroids.

We citizens of Jersey City expect MORE from our police services. Chief Comey, please broom the steroids takers.

Lesson here? Don't be a buttlord

Or a dick or a jerk or whatever word works for you.

Johnny's not sure how the Jersey City police managed to turn the sympathy vote over to Mayor Healy but in messing with his fundraiser the other night by taking car keys of donors that showed up and hiding them, that's exactly what happened. Why would some members of the police who were outside protesting layoffs while Healy held a fundraiser inside Puccini's restaurant screw with people's keys? Police Chief Tom Comey wasn't saying but he did mention that the officers were going to be suspended.

Comey said the officers "were remorseful and took full responsibility for their actions. Additionally, the officers have apologized for their juvenile behavior and any embarrassment they have caused the department and the city". Fair enough, we're satisfied with the punishment fitting the "crime" here but why? Why make Healy a sympathetic if not tragic figure?

One more thing, a message for the JCPD. You know those surveillance cameras that you use from both places public and private to track down crime? Yeah, that's EXACTLY how your boys got caught taking keys. You'd think the cops would know about such things.

If you seek a city with a spectacular crime rate, look about you

A 27 year old woman had her head repeatedly bounced off the pavement, was stripped naked and then fondled according to witnesses at the corners of Van Horne Street at Communipaw Avenue early Sunday morning. Carlos Acosta and Davon Gordon were arrested after witnesses pointed them out and they have now been charged with robbery, aggravated assault and criminal attempt. These two losers also attacked a second victim walking on Van Horne Street, kicking and punching him into a bloody mess.

Police were able to make a positive ID on these jackasses because of the blood on their clothing and shoes.

What the hell is going on in this town? Beating and then fondling an unconscious woman?

Maybe it's time to take some of the people who work desk jobs in the Jersey City Police Department and let them drive around and just be a presence on the street. Just be more sets of eyes to protect the public. Something MORE needs to be done. People are not feeling safe here anymore. Leadership is needed by police chief Comey and Mayor Healy. MORE needs to be done. Perhaps a public forum or public Q and A is needed for them to understand the desperation felt by the citizens here.

It's gotten that bad.

A very nice article today in the New York Times on Jersey City police chief Thomas Comey

A nice look at the police chief in Jersey City who has dedicated almost 30 years of his life to the Jersey City police department. It also has an interesting look at how the Times looks at Jersey City in how they describe Manhattan West.

You can check the article out right here.

Crime in Jersey City is not funny, however this quote was

A local citizens group is up in arms over the blatant and increasing crime in their area. We understand and hope all the police and civic leaders who say they'll address their concerns aren't simply paying lip service. Lafayette area residents have a real problem and it's gotten so bad, to keep hoods, thugs, and idiots from loitering on her porch a local resident has taken to pouring syrup on said porch. Clever, but when it gets to that point, local officials who said they'd do something, namely state Sen. Sandra B. Cunningham, Ward F Councilwoman Viola Richardson, Freeholder Jeffrey Dublin and Jersey City Police Chief Tom Comey had better do something.

Oh, yes, now to the quote that struck us as funny:

"I can't have people shooting each other and then the bodies laying in our parking lot," said Rosalyn Browne, who owns the funeral home outside of which the Jan. 3 shooting took place.

You'd think it'd help business....