Avalon Releases 2008 Police Report

AVALON – Avalon Police Department issued its report for 2008 today, Feb.17, detailing police activity and updates on how the department was able to be more efficient and save money.
Avalon Mayor Martin Pagliughi said he was very pleased with the statistics released by the department.
“Our police department continues to make great strides in many areas under the leadership of Police Chief David Dean. New figures clearly show Avalon is one of the safest, proactive communities in the entire state of New Jersey,” Pagliughi said via release.
In the report, Dean notes, “there were no vehicular or boating accidents resulting in the loss of life. There were no deaths as a result of criminal actions. The prevailing speed limit in Avalon continued to be rationally enforced and the addition of radar-activated speed display signs contributed to an overall safe driving and pedestrian environment. Avalon also continued to utilize a state grant to fund a DWI Task Force Patrol that was fielded during high-traffic periods through the summer months.
“The number of overall traffic stops, and DWI-related arrests, both increased substantially in Avalon during 2008. In 2008, Avalon officers effected traffic stops on 2,352 cars; in 2007, 1,624 stops were reported. There were 40 fewer traffic accidents in 2008 and injuries from traffic accidents dropped from 28 in 2007 to only eight in 2008.
“Avalon Police Department used a bike officer team that educates the public on safe bicycling practices in Avalon. The Avalon Police Department and the Avalon Home and Landowners Association developed a brochure jointly for this purpose. Avalon officers stepped up enforcement of ordinance violations regarding bicycle usage into the evening hours and began issuing summonses. Avalon also experienced a 21 percent drop in bicycle thefts from 2007 to 2008.
Avalon also enacted a new curfew for young adults during the latter part of the summer.
“The enforcement of the curfew appeared to have an almost immediate effect on thefts and criminal mischief in general in Avalon”, Dean said.
Noise violations in 2008 rose by only 14 calls over the previous year; criminal mischief violations dropped by 53 percent from 109 incidents in 2007 to just 58 in 2008. The curfew in Avalon applies to anyone under the age of 18 and reads:
“It shall be unlawful for any juvenile to loiter, idle, wander, stroll, park in a car or other vehicle, be on a bicycle or other form of transportation, or play in, remain in, or be upon a Public Place within the territorial limits of the Borough between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. Sunday through Saturday.”
The following are also noted in the 2008 police report:
*Downloadable application forms were added to the borough’s website, www.avalonboro.org; there were also additions to the website that included public safety information during storms and hurricanes.
*The department purchased and installed a system called NCIC Green, which prevents the need for printing out large volumes of messages from the state and national crime information computer centers.
*Avalon police also moved into the new public safety building in November 2008. Several state of the art systems, such as Live Scan computerized fingerprinting have worked well. Improvements include a new video surveillance system for building and prisoner security along with an updated 9-1-1 system.
*Avalon’s police vehicles now have a new look with a return to the black and white patrol cars. Officers are pleased with the change and the public can more easily identify cars.”