Mayor Hawkins praises Orange Police Department for fast, effective response to holiday season crime… cites three examples of “exemplary police work” and citizen teamwork with police.

Over the holiday season, when the incidence of crime usually spikes, the Orange Police Department was put on special alert. The elite street crime unit was deployed, extra attention was given to the shopping districts of Main Street and Central Avenue and crime “hot spots” were closely watched.

During this period, two burglaries were thwarted and the suspects arrested, and suspects in a carjacking and multiple armed robberies were located and pursued by Orange Police through three towns, apprehended and arrested.

Burglary in Progress and Drug Arrest 12/17/11
Acting on an anonymous tip concerning a man with a rifle carrying CDs, Sergeant Issac Eason and Officers Anthony Holmes and D’shon Williams arrived at 197 Oakwood Place. The suspect was spotted on the roof and seen entering the house. He was apprehended and arrested. Two other suspects were found inside the house and also arrested.  Police recovered bullets, 40 grams of crack cocaine,  22 grams of marijuana, the CDs and three small plastic bags of heroin. Those arrested included Duquan Bondurant (30) of East Orange, and Keenan Jones (20) and Shareef Mayfield (30), both of Orange.

Burglary in Progress Arrest 12/23/11
Responding to a witness’ report of a burglary in progress, Officers Joseph Alston and Robert Polhill arrived at 465 Burnside. They walked to the rear of the house with the witness to observe where the suspects had broken a window to get inside. The suspects had fled when they became aware they were being observed. The witness described what the suspects were wearing. Three people fitting the description were apprehended on Bradford and driven back to the scene where the witness made a positive identification. The homeowner was not home at the time of the incident. Arrested were Shawn Wade (18), Teyshon Brock(18) and Karriem Jones (26) all of Orange.

Carjacking and Armed Robbery Pursuit and Arrest 12/26/11
While on patrol, Officer Joegy Jacob saw a black four door Lincoln MKZ near Freeway Dr. West and South Day St. The car matched the description of one that had been carjacked at gunpoint on Berkeley Ave. in Orange the day before and which had been involved in two armed robberies in Orange and a shooting in  East Orange. The driver fled and officers Jacob, Franchot Taylor, and David Fanfan pursued him through East Orange, Newark and Irvington. Trapped on Lafayette Place in Irvington, a dead end street, the driver turned around and was arrested after striking two police vehicles. Arrested were Davon Johnson (23) of Newark, William Thompson (18) of Orange and a juvenile from East Orange.  The suspects are under investigation in a series of armed robberies, shootings and carjackings.

Statement by Mayor Hawkins

“I want to thank and commend all of the Orange police officers involved in our focus on crime over the holiday season. These officers put their lives at risk, and I am grateful that none were injured. Sometimes we take for granted the men and women who protect us throughout the year, and at this season I want to remind all citizens of how much they do for us.

This past year has seen important progress made in strengthening public safety in Orange with creation of the street crime unit, upgrades in police technology, and the addition of police officers and firefighters following a brief period of forced layoffs.”

Statement by Police Director John Rappaport
“These arrests were made with the involvement and cooperation of ordinary citizens working in partnership with the Orange Police Department. This is proof of the importance of community policing, the fundamental law enforcement strategy that guides our police department.”