No more soup for you (if by soup you mean stand around jobs for cops)

Mayor Steve Fulop has pulled back the ladle and put the lid on the "off-duty" (Johnny's always preferred the 'stand around' connotation because that's what they did, or in the JCPD's case didn't but got paid anyway) jobs that pay large sums of money to the JCPD officers who want them and embarrassment to the city when dozens of these same officers get caught up in a federal investigation for not paying taxes on money they took and didn't bother to show up for in some cases. Worse yet, some cops on active duty were pulled off patrol to go stand around construction sites. You can go back to the earliest days of the Jersey City Desk and see Johnny imploring first Healy then Fulop to end this nonsense. It's too bad it took Fulop this long but ding dong those jobs are dead:

"For too long the program has been abused with police officers more focused on off-duty work than on-duty work," Fulop said in an email to The Jersey Journal. "The widespread corruption was known by countless officers within the department and the degree of abuse is astonishing."

OK, so no more obscene amounts of money for very very very little work. Let's play "How do you think that went over with the JCPD" with your host, Kramer:

Did Carmine Disbrow, president of the Jersey City Police Officers Benevolent Association call the mayor's decision:

A) Wise considering all that's gone on recently
B) Hasty
C) Poopy
D) "Mayor Fulop has shared no plan with the union regarding the future off-duty jobs," Carmine Disbrow, president of the Jersey City Police Officers Benevolent Association, said in a statement. "We'd much prefer to have this conversation with him face-to-face than through social media or the press. While we understand the need for change in the way assignments are distributed, we hope that he understands how critically important these jobs are to keeping Jersey City safe."

If you chose "D" just understand that Fulop DID just share his plan with the union regarding these jobs Mr. Disbrow, he said they're over. A one-sentence plan really.

Usually this is where Johnny would end the story with something about a D+ force in a B+ city but the best city reporter anywhere, in fact an Ace Reporter, Terrence T. McDonald asked Ward C Councilman and former Jersey City detective Richard Boggiano his thoughts on the end of all things stand around and boy were they colorful. You simply have to see what Boggiano thinks of the towns and hamlets surrounding Jersey City. But you have to put munny in Mr. McDonald's pocket first since he asked the question, you follow this link but trust Johnny, it's worth the click.

The JCPD vs Steve Fulop, part pi

Angry at a myriad of supposed insults and lack of respect from Mayor Fulop, the JCPD took to city hall placing placards in city hall and parading them around reminding the mayor and his team to "Support the JCPD."

This is one oft those stories that cuts both ways for Johnny. He thinks Carmine Disbrow, who represents the JCPD in all matters where a blowhard with an overactive imagination is necessary, might have a point when he decries the fact the JCPD is kind of leaderless with James Shea now just allowed to act as police chief. Fulop's decision, he'll just act as the boss. Not that that's his job or calling but he'll handle it. That's a BAD idea. Get a cop in charge of the other cops. not a ublic safety director no matter what he did in New York City, this is Jersey City. That point brings us to the other part of the cuts both ways comment; City Spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill's response to Disbrow (Face it, to her response to just about anyone) was that his commentary "undermines his credibility." Maybe Ms. Morrill would do better to stick to easily called upon facts to show Disbrow still isn't over Fulop calling out the JCPD for their part in the wild west shootout that had JCPD officers firing out car windows while driving through our streets and ended when they kicked an innocent man who had been set on fire in the resulting car accident.

So we have a spokesperson who is right on some points about the actions of the police force in our fair city and a police union spokesman who is right about wanting a proper chief.  Reasonable people should be able to come to an agreement over these issues, right?

Ha, we hope the Itchy and Scratchy fight goes on forever. Kids dig it.

Why not just do what other drivers get ticketed for...

...or at least the neighborhood has tried to get drivers ticketed for turning into oncoming traffic/going the wrong way up a one-way at 2nd St and Warren. Here today Johnny had the displeasure of watching a Jersey City cop, not on any kind of call, just decided to make an illegal turn to save himself a minute.

Nice job, asshole.

Jersey City police, a D+ force in a B+ town.

The JCPD just make these hidings so easy

On the morrow Johnny's going to take the JCPD to task once again and will pull no punches. You'll read on "alleged" more than likely illegal behavior from the hop of a situation and watch the bad actors act and see how bad those who carry a badge in this city can get.

EXCLUSIVE:The Jersey City Desk has learned and now will report the reason for JCPD presence on HBLR tomorrow!

The Jersey City Police, along with several other emergency response teams will be on a training exercise tomorrow along the Hudson Bergen Light Rail line:

The NJ Transit Police Department's Office of Emergency Management will be conducting a training exercise tomorrow at the HBLR Caven Point Facility along with federal, state and local partners in order to evaluate a multiple agency response to a simulated transportation incident.

The Jersey City Desk has gotten ahold of leaked documents and this four hour training exercise is called, "Operation Big Mouth - Chris Christie with a Phone on a Quiet Car"

The Jersey City Desk, first with important news you can use.

If you read this story without knowing where it took place

If after reading it you were asked where it took place you'd probably say "Yeah, that just sounds like Jersey City." 

Allegedly Bianca Lockett hit a fire truck from Engine 5 at the intersection of Kennedy Boulevard and Audubon Avenue in her Mercury while the truck had lights and sirens on. What happened next (allegedly) is what makes it so Jersey City. Witnesses told police Lockett grabbed her small child from the vehicle and made like a tree and leafed. Witnesses also said that two people jumped out of the vehicle and took the license plates and also fled the area. A witness followed Locket taking cell phone pictures and assisted PD with the info. Reached at her home by police Locket was issued summonses for driving with a suspended license, leaving the scene of an accident, and failure to yield the right of way for an emergency vehicle.

No word on if she was issued a ticket for driving a Mercury as well.

This is the Jersey City Johnny likes living in

Almost a postcard. An elderly woman pushing her cart along Newark Ave. through a construction area. She said she didn't need help pushing her cart but the JCPD officer made sure her way was cleared and the work paused so she could pass.

That's the Jersey City Johnny likes living in.

After a long weekend is the perfect time for a News Roundup!

* As Dan Levin pointed out on Twitter, Mayor Steve Fulop has lost control of the police department. His promises about having to live in Jersey City to work here, his promises about cutting waste and departmental graft is just nowhere to be found. As per usual when tough questions need answering Steve Fulop is nowhere to be found. Here's a question for you Cool City, under Mayor Healy you always knew who was in charge of the JC police. Who's running the show today, right now?

* Yet another shooting in Jersey City. The Mayor sure talks big about this kind of thing but nothing much seems to change does it Jersey City?

* Jersey City Councilman-at-large Daniel Rivera was part of a book bag giveaway for local kids going back to school AND arranged for barbers to donate over 130 haircuts so kids can look their best!

* Everything dies baby that's a fact. But maybe everything that dies someday comes back. Put your makeup on fix your hair up pretty and meet me tonight in Atlantic City, where nobody will be...

* Governor Christie is threatening to do the right thing and end New Jersey's foray into the graft-laden world of red-light cameras. All over the country companies who run these shams are being caught making the bribes to municipal workers to get them set up. Yes, they even bribed people in New Jersey to get these cameras in place to soak you the taxpayer who never asked for them to begin with.

* It's September and that means...haunted house time? Really? Guess haunted things season normally reserved for October is getting a kind of Christmas-creep attached to it.

To protect and serve...and nap...

OK, don't get Johnny wrong, there is nothing funnier than developers like Toll Brothers or Mill Creek, Tish, Trump, or Lloyd Goldman or anybody else getting ripped off. They are required to foot the bill for the too many to count police officers often seen standing around construction projects doing nothing, sipping coffee, enjoying a cigarette and so forth. Well this guy, we'll call him Mr. Sleepy, has been tapped by one of these developers and he's found a great way to pass the day, sleeping in his car while he should be standing on a street corner looking important in his police vest and sipping coffee (picture taken at 8:55AM). Again, nothing makes us happier than a developer losing money BUT this guy is also supposed to be the one stopping truck and crane and backhoe traffic so people can cross at intersections. He should be the one stopping traffic from going down closed streets (because the police unions insist only someone with a badge can correctly point to a road closed sign). He should be another set of eyes out there looking out for the public or at least for the people paying him.

Also, what does Mr. Sleepy tell the residents who see him not only sleeping in his police vest, no, he's going the Full Monty with a sleepers blindfold on to boot. Johnny had seen this guy doing this before but spared him the embarrassment (not to mention the city) but figured maybe it IS time to break some eggs over at City Hall and get Police Chief Robert Cowen hipped to what really happens on the streets of Jersey City. Maybe he'd agree it's time to move these poor overburdened police officers off these gravy assignments and let citizen-tasked traffic coordinators handle pointing at road closed signs.

Maybe they can at least stay awake...

We thought there were supposed to be less police waving at traffic around construction sites, not more

When Mayor Steve Fulop took office, he said that getting civilian-trained people who weren't police officers to handle traffic around construction sites in our fair city was the plan going forward. There would be less official police presence because, well there's still a lot of crime in Jersey City and they were also going to be using dozens and dozens of extra police in the mornings and afternoons to help smooth the Pulaski Skyway shutdown.

By any measure a quick walk anywhere downtown seems either the mayor's grand plan to take police away from low impact low stress jobs at building sites and put them back into policing the community is flailing about like a fish. Did police push back quietly to the point they themselves are getting these sweet shifts? Could the city not find people interested in making money standing at closed intersections and roads? Because by any metric you'd like to use the police are back handling all the road closures and the civilian-trained guards have become like Jersey City's own Sasquatch, seen rarely, never filmed and mostly tall tales.

So Mr. Fulop, what happened?

3 cops, one intersection

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.

If you see something, say something, just don't expect a response

Hey there JCPD, you have done a magnificent job ignoring ie not responding to a call Johnny himself placed to you over an hour and a half ago about a possible property crime in progress in his neighborhood. Did it not get relayed by the operator? Did the mayor fall down a well and you're ALL on scene there? Or, maybe, just maybe if nobody responds that effectively helps lower the crime rate because no paperwork gets filed.

So citizens, if you see something say something, just do not expect the JCPD to follow up on a Saturday morning while cartoons are still on.

The JCPD is on the move!

And because of this you won't be able to call your favorite upper level Jersey City police officials today from without their cell phone numbers.

The Jersey City Police Department is moving from their digs on Erie St. out to the fourth floor of One Journal Square Plaza. The new offices are officially at JFK Boulevard and Cottage St. Because of the office move, which includes phone equipment, the city is asking you call Mayor’s Action Bureau at (201) 547-4900 or (201) 547-5555 to connect with top police personnel between 11 am and 6 pm today.

A rainy free day here in Jersey City

Represent peoples of Jersey City! This thread is all yours today.

PATH trains into the WTC were delayed this morning, no problems found

Port Authority police were on scene this morning investigating a PATH train car, thankfully nothing was wrong.

We'd better get used to an increased police presence for the next little while folks. Killing Osama bin-Laden is sure to push some nutjob hellbent on revenge to do something stupid. Jersey City's fine police force is on a higher alert today as is the New York City PD. The Port Authority is obviously on a heightened alert after last week's Holland Tunnel shootout. We have to trust that everything that can be done IS being done and woe to those that aren't doing everything within the law to keep us all safer.

Here's hoping Jersey City and the police union can hammer out a deal

Because we'd sure love to have those extra 82 police officers on the streets, especially after we see roving cars full of Newark tuffs committing crimes in Jersey City and really putting an onus on the JCPD. We do not want Newark's nere-do-wells looking at Jersey City as an easy mark.

Pay lag (it's a complicated formula says the JCPD union, you can read on it here) and uniform allowances seem to be the final two sticking points. The Jersey City Desk is actually behind Mayor Healy's decision to NOT dip into a $2.8 million dollar tax abatement to help the officers pay for uniforms. Healy rightly points out that money is spoken for and is being returned to the Jersey City taxpayers.

So the Jersey City Desk is hopeful if these are indeed the last couple of issues to keep these 82 officers on patrol a deal can be hammered out. Jersey City needs a lot of police protection but our support of the police union isn't a blank check either.

Get it done people, get it done.

Jersey City police stop the world's shortest stolen car joyride

Fuho's own Eugene Ortiz saw the keys in a Jeep in Jersey City. He says he couldn't help himself. The lure of driving that Jeep was very powerful. So, Ortiz jumped into the Jeep at Franklin and Webster and got an entire 5 blocks until he was stopped. How could Jersey City's finest have stopped a stolen vehicle so quickly? Seriously, it hadn't been reported stolen, no time yet for that to happen. Well Mr. Ortiz wasn't exactly paying attention when he absconded with the Jeep, two JCPD officers WATCHED him lift it. That's right, they saw Ortiz take the vehicle.

Derrrrrrrrr

Ortiz told the police after being stopped that he saw the keys in the Jeep and felt the need to take it because he wanted to go for a drive.

Hope they serve egg nog in the Hudson County lockup.

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.

OK, this one is a little strange--Secaucus man arrested for peeing on Jersey City females

No, this has nothing to do with Steve Lipski. It has everything to do with an asshat named Nitinkuma A. Patel who would actually follow women in the Journal Square area and walk up behind them and let loose actually peeing on their legs. Jersey City's finest have been staking out the Journal Square area for this idiot as he's been suspected in no less than SEVEN 'attacks'.

Wow, simply wow. We do have an idea for Mr. Patel once he gets done with the court system. Let's put a permanent ankle bracelet on him so we can tell where he is at all times. We'd also like to permanently attach a super strength dog shock collar, the kind used to keep dogs from barking, that police had the controller to and could just randomly push for fun and laughs. You know, "Hey Rutgers won today" Bzzzzzzzzt. "Sure is nice out" Bzzzzzzzzt "I heard Nidia Lopez is back at her home in Florida this month" Bzzzzzzzt.

Good GOD in all his days Johnny never imagined running a story like this.

Jersey City police pull a body out of the water near 2nd Street Pier this morning, NYC's Michael Bloomberg nowhere to be found yet

Jersey City emergency services pulled a floater out of the Hudson River this morning about 10:30 am. The medical examiner has made no determination as of yet. Absent from the scene is New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, 'Media Whore of the Hudson' who shows up at any and all events/tragedies/anything that might bring a camera/bake sales/ on either side of the Hudson. Apparently there is not enough news coverage yet to lure Bloomberg out of hiding and tell the cameras what's going on in Jersey City.