Special officers sought
By Chris Sykes Staff Writer

The city is accepting applications from individuals interested in becoming special police officers.

The available positions are paid on a part-time per-day basis and the duties revolve around assisting the city and its full-time officers. According to the advertisement posted online at the city’s Web site, www.ci.orange.nj.us, some of the “typical” emergency services provided to the town include assistance during major accidents, fires, storms and “other threats to life and property.” Other duties include traffic and crowd control during “routine” public events such as parades, festivals, carnivals, races and school sporting events.

Although special police officers are not “regular” police officers, they do get to carry guns and other standard police paraphernalia.

“Our members come from all walks of life: business owners, retirees, students and both white collar and blue-collar workers,” the ad states. “Each brings his or her own experience and talents to the department and provides an invaluable asset to the City of Orange.”

According to police Director John Rappaport, on-site training, uniforms and equipment will be provided to any candidates who get accepted into the special officers’ training program. All prospective officers “must successfully complete the basic course for special officers” offered at a state police training academy.

Anyone interested in learning more about becoming a special officer can contact Lt. John Wade at 973-266-4111, ext. 5026.

“ The Class One officers are unarmed; Class Two are allowed to have 25 percent of armed specials, so if we had 100 officers, we could have 25 armed specials,” Rappa port said during the Aug. 6 City Council meeting where the vote to create the special police officer positions was successful. “We’ve got the money and we’re looking at about $20 an hour for Class Two special officers. We’re not sure if the Class One positions are going to be paid or volunteer, but we’ll have to do a survey to see what the maximum amount of hours they can work and how much pay receive.”

Rappaport said recruiting special officers was a good idea to help increase the manpower available to his department. He stressed the specials on duty will not affect the department’s regular manpower.

Orange has been slated to receive $964,875, from the federal Community Oriented Policing Services program and President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus package.

Rappaport said the police department is happy to get the help. “I am extremely gratified that our department has received these funds,” said Rappaport. “Budgets are difficult to manage in these hard economic times and police officer jobs are at stake. This endeavor is important to the city and its citizens and the officers who will, I am sure, continue to provide both efficient and proficient service to our community.”

Mayor Eldridge Hawkins Jr. said Orange’s community policing effort under Rappaport has included a fast-response complaint system to enable police to monitor crime “hot spots” reported by residents and an expansion of crime watch activities.