Paramus Gets $1.8M Grant To Hire Cops, Fight Lone Wolf Terrorism

PARAMUS, NJ — Five police officers will be hired to fight crime and ISIS-inspired terrorists thanks to a $1.8 million federal grant.

Mayor Richard LaBarbiera, Paramus police offices and Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5th) announced the grant Tuesday morning.

The five new community policing officers may be hired as early as Dec. 5, LaBarbiera said. They will be tasked with protecting Paramus, including the Westfield Garden State Plaza, from acts of terror. The mall is classified as a "tier-one critical infrastructure" by the U.S. Department Homeland Security.

The grant requires the police department create a community policing division. The officers will help bolster relationships with local business owners in order to better protect the local community, said Police Chief Kenneth Ehrenberg. The officers will also meet with Paramus students on a regular basis.

"We're excited about it, absolutely," Ehrenberg said.

The five hires will bring the department total to 91 sworn officers, up from a nearly 10-year low of 68 in 2010, Ehrenberg said.

"Paramus is a most unique municipality in that in addition to its 28,000 residents, we're the economic engine for the region, generating millions of visitors every year," LaBarbiera said.

The grant is from the federal Community Oriented Policing Services program from the U.S. Department of Justice.

"We've seen too many incidents of lone wolf terror, unfortunately, recently, in this area and law enforcement does such a great job every day of being on the front lines and stopping it before we ever have to face it. That's why it is so important for the town and law enforcement to have the resources they need to protect us."

Gottheimer added that New Jersey's 5th District only gets $.33 cents back for every federal tax dollar sent to Washington, D.C.

"Our taxes are too high. The best way to cut our taxes and get relief is make sure we get the dollars we send to Washington back here for things like the COPS grant," Gottheimer said. "Getting more than $1.8 million back of our tax dollars is good."

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