27 Arrests Made in Washington Twp. During 'Productive, Busy' January

Washington Township police were on their toes in the first month of the new year, arresting nearly one person for every day in January.

Police responded to 3,311 calls in the 31-day month, and issued 379 motor vehicle violations in addition to 424 warnings to motorists.

Police made seven arrests for controlled dangerous substances, or illegal drugs, as well as two driving while intoxicated arrests. The were 16 contempt of court, or warrant arrests, and two criminal arrests for domestic violence, according to Lt. Doug Compton.

Compton pointed out two officers specifically who had very busy months, including Officer Daniel Parrish, who had a total of seven arrests. Five of those were for contempt of court, one for driving while intoxicated, and another for domestic violence.

Officer Michael Thompson was responsible for three controlled dangerous substance arrests as well.

“[Officer] Thompson was able to make those arrests by being proactive,” Compton said. “He and Parrish did a great job for us in January, which was an unusually busy month.”

One on of the drug arrests made by Thompson, K9 Cliff was deployed to help search a vehicle, Compton said.

The 27 arrests was a big jump over previous years. In January 2014, 16 arrests were made during the same time frame; in January 2013, 20 arrests were made.

And of course, one of the biggest and ongoing stories of the month was the speed limit change on Schooley’s Mountain Road.

Police responded to a total of 11 crashes on Schooley’s Mountain Road between Jan. 8 and Jan. 23, which stirred a conversation by Morris County Freeholders and local police to change the speed limit on the southern side of the mountain between James Trail and the center of town.

The speed was reduced from 35 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour in that area as of Jan. 28, when the Freeholders unanimously approved the drop in speed limit.

The biggest call of the month came on Jan. 5, when Ryan Brennan, a Long Valley man was reportedly walking through the Fawnridge Drive area with a knife and threatening to hurt himself. A manhunt by local, county, and state police ensued, but to no avail. Brennan was found later that night at his ex-girlfriend’s Sussex County home after allegedly stealing a car from Drakestown Road.

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