MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Benjamin Avrut, 35, of Maplewood, has been arrested and charged with the murder of his mother, Gwen Avrut, 70, also of Maplewood, according to a Jan. 5 press release from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. On Monday, Jan. 4, at approximately 12:56 p.m., Gwen Avrut, was discovered in her home at The […]
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Last week, Maplewood experienced some anti-police vandalism. On Dec. 3, the Department of Public Works removed posters from the windows of houses in Dickens Village, located in Ricalton Square, which carried anti-police sentiment and expletives. Though nothing was broken in Dickens Village, this incident still counts as vandalism and could incur strong […]
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The Maplewood Township Committee voted to disarm the Maplewood Auxiliary Police at its Oct. 20 meeting, ending a 90-day review period of the volunteer police unit that was extended in July. The police auxiliary was deactivated earlier this year to limit exposure to COVID-19. Mayor Frank McGehee, Deputy Mayor Dean Dafis and […]
Editor’s Note: After this article went to press in the News-Record, the Maplewood Township Committee voted to disarm the Maplewood Auxiliary Police Unit. A follow-up story will appear in the Oct. 29 News-Record and online the following weekend. MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The Maplewood Township Committee’s Public Safety Committee returned to a discussion about the Maplewood […]
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — On Nov. 15, a team of assessors from the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police will examine all aspects of Maplewood Police Department policies and procedures, management, operations, and support services, Chief Jim DeVaul announced. “Verification by the team that the Maplewood Township Police Department meets the Commission’s ‘best practice’ […]
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The Maplewood Police and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force are investigating a fatal pedestrian hit-and-run incident that resulted in the death of Johanne L. Barthelemy, 29, of Irvington, according to a Sept. 28 press release from the prosecutor’s office. In the early morning hours of Monday, Sept. 28, […]
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. and the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders will present an emergency food distribution event on Thursday, Oct. 1, at the Maplewood Community Pool, 187 Boyden Ave., to help families negatively impacted by the coronavirus. The 1,000 boxes of food that will be distributed are […]
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Four new members were unanimously appointed to the Maplewood Community Board on Police at the Township Committee’s Sept. 1 meeting, joining the seven other members on the board meant to review police activity in town and to work with Maplewood on improving the relationship between the community and the Maplewood Police Department. […]
Vandals place anti-police signs on lawns of two Maplewood Township Committee members
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The Maplewood Police Department is investigating signs expressing anti-police sentiments that were placed by trespassers on the front lawns of Maplewood Committeemen Greg Lembrich and Vic DeLuca on Aug. 5. The signs, which were painted over existing lawn signs, said “Abolish the auxiliary,” referencing the Maplewood Police Department Police Auxiliary; “Kroll has […]
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The Maplewood Township Committee voted to further the discussion in 90 days about whether or not the town’s auxiliary police should be disarmed, in addition to preventing the use of the unit in the event of an emergency. Maplewood Police Chief Jimmy DeVaul had already deactivated the volunteer police during the COVID-19 […]