Volunteers Needed for Middletown Police Domestic Violence Response Team

Middletown Public Information:


Middletown Township Police Department is currently recruiting volunteers to serve on the Middletown Domestic Violence Response Team (DVRT). In affiliation with 180 Turning Lives Around (180), and with the assistance of the response team volunteers, Middletown Township Police Department continues to make available this service to victims of domestic violence during the initial stages of a highly emotional and traumatic experience. 180 will be conducting an intensive 40-hour mandatory training course for Domestic Violence Response Team (DVRT) volunteers April 4th – 28th, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 6:00pm-9:30pm in the courtroom at Hazlet Police Headquarters, 255 Middle Road in Hazlet. Applications are currently being accepted.

The volunteer advocates with 180’s DVRT Program are civilian members of the community who work collaboratively with law enforcement to provide confidential support, information, and referrals to victims of domestic violence at Middletown Township Police Headquarters. Advocates also discuss with victims safety planning and their legal rights in regard to obtaining a Temporary Restraining Order. By providing support and crucial perspective of the situation, these specially-trained advocates help to empower victims to make informed decisions for themselves and their families.

Basic requirements for volunteers to apply include that they must be eighteen years of age or older, have access to reliable transportation, possess a valid driver’s license, be willing to serve on an on-call shift basis, participate in an interview process, submit to background investigations and fingerprinting, and successfully complete the mandatory training. Middletown Township Police Department and 180 are committed to a culturally diverse team to better serve the community, so bi-lingual capability is helpful. Prior knowledge of domestic violence is not required. The identities of the DVRT volunteers are kept anonymous. Please contact Sgt. Kevin Gardiner, Middletown Township Police Department, DVRT DVLO, at 732 615-2075, to obtain an application or for additional information.

For forty years, 180 Turning Lives Around has been dedicated to providing shelter, counseling, support, prevention, education, and advocacy for residents of Monmouth County who are affected by domestic violence and sexual violence. If you, or someone you know, is a victim of domestic violence or sexual violence, you can call the 180 Turning Lives Around Confidential Hotline at 732-264-4111 or 888-843-9262, 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. For more information, visit www.180nj.org. In an emergency, dial 9-1-1.

Middletown Traffic Update: Rt 520, Hubbard, W Front

From Middletown Alerts:

The following information is provided by the Middletown Police Department Traffic Bureau. All
information is subject to immediate change. Call 732-615-2045 for more information.


County Route 520 Eastbound Closed Overnight Dec 15-18
County 520 is open to all traffic in both directions during the day.

Rt. 520 Eastbound will be closed overnight only, 9pm to 5am, starting Monday night, December 15th and ending Thursday morning, December 18th. All except local traffic will be diverted down Swimming River Road. Please plan alternate routes. This is a Middletown Sewer Authority project related to the installation of new sewer pipes.


Whispering Pines Drive and Jumping Brook Road
Construction continues daytime on these roads as part of the Middletown Sewerage Authority project related to the installation of new sewer pipes. Follow detours as posted.


Hubbard Avenue at Shadow Lake
Periodic closings and delays with one-way traffic on Hubbard Avenue at Shadow Lake near the spillway is expected weekdays until January 2015. This is a Monmouth County project related to emergency repair of the bridge. Detours are in place. Please plan alternate routes.


West Front Street Paving Rescheduled
The paving of West Front Street from Middletown-Lincroft Road to Half-Mile Road has been rescheduled until Spring 2015.

Middletown Police Warn Citizens About Scams

From Middletown Alerts:

The Middletown Police Department has issued a warning to its citizens about recent phone scams that have been occurring. Police have been receiving complaints about the following scams:

JCP&L scam: Residents and business owners have been receiving calls from persons fraudulently representing themselves as employees of the Jersey Central Power and Light Company. The caller informs the victim that they owe money on their electric bill and if they don’t pay their electric will be turned off.

The caller then advises the victim to purchase Green Dot Money Packs and to call back and provide the caller with the serial numbers of the Green Dot Cards which enables the caller to obtain the money from the cards. When the victim calls back the caller does answer the phone JCP&L. However, they are not employees of the company.

Residents are advised that they do not purchase the Green Dots Cards or provide information to anyone who calls over the phone without confirming their identity. Residents should contact JCP&L directly if they have any questions regarding their bill or if they believe they owe money.

Microsoft scam: This scam involves a caller contacting victims and advising them that they are receiving error reports from the victim’s computer at the Microsoft help center. They then ask residents to allow them to remotely access their computer. This enables them to gain access to all the personal and financial information contained in the computer.

Residents are advised not to provide any personal information over the phone or to allow anyone to access their computer. Microsoft has no way to know you are having computer problems unless you personally contact them.

IRS scam: This scam involves a caller contacting a victim and advising them that they owe money from their tax returns. The caller then advises the victim to purchase money orders and provides an address to mail the alleged owed funds.

The IRS does not contact persons delinquent on their taxes over the phone. Please do not provide any information to anyone claiming to be from the IRS over the phone and do not mail them money orders. Contact the IRS directly if you have any concerns about your tax returns.

Grandparents scam: This scam involves a caller contacting an elderly resident and pretending to be their grandchild. They advise the caller that they have been arrested (normally in a foreign country or out of state) and request that the victim wire them bail money.

Please do not wire anyone money who calls over the phone. If you have a concern that a grandchild has been legitimately arrested contact them direct and verify.

Police advise residents to take extra caution in speaking with callers over the phone. Residents should contact companies directly if they have any concerns and should be suspicious of anyone asking for money over the phone. Residents who believe they are victims of any scam should report it to their local police department who can provide further guidance.

Good Deed By MTPD Officer Vendetti Deserves Recognition

All too often we only hear about the bad or negative aspects of police officers and/or their actions that they take, you very rarely hear about the good that they do. That is why I want to send a much deserved shout out to Adam Vendetti, a 12 year veteran of the Middletown Police Department, who was spotted going above and beyond the call of duty last week by a friend of mine, who lives on Chestnut Ave., over in the Hillside section of Middletown.

(Officer Vendetti fixing bike)

Last Thursday morning (8/7/14), while glancing out the front window of his house my friend witnessed two Middletown police cars sitting in front of his house. One police officer (Vendetti) was standing next to first car speaking to the officer inside. When the police car departed officer Vendetti started walking back to his patrol vehicle.

While walking to his vehicle, Officer Vendetti stopped a young boy who walking past him, pushing his bike: the chain had fallen off its sprocket and was dragging on the ground. The two spoke briefly and Vendetti went to his patrol car to retrieve a pair of gloves. Officer Vendetti then spent the next 10 minutes fixing the young man’s bike and sent him on his way.

My friend, who witnessed this genuine act of kindness, was so impressed by Officer Vendetti’s wonderful gesture towards one of the kids in the neighborhood, went outside and thanked him for his effort. He said that after speaking with Officer Vendetti, how very impressed he was with him and what a “real nice young man” he was.

After hearing this little story I’m also very impressed by Officer Vendetti and his exceptional character. I’m happy knowing that he is patrolling the streets of Middletown, watching out for its citizens.

You're a good man Officer Vendetti, keep up the good work!

ICYMI: Weber Named Acting Police Chief in Middletown

It was announce on Monday that Deputy Police Chief  R.Craig Weber was being named acting police chief, replacing retired Police Chief Robert Oches. I want to wish him well.

The Asbury Park Press had a nice write up on it yesterday:

MIDDLETOWN – Deputy Police Chief R. Craig Weber was named acting Chief of Police, replacing former Police Chief Robert Oches, who retired Aug. 1 after a 40-year career. 

Weber has been with the township police since Dec. 1, 1993, and rose through the ranks until he was named as one of the department’s three deputy chiefs in September 2010. Weber oversees the department’s technical services, which includes the detective, records and service, and community relations bureaus, as well as the communications and computer operations.
Weber holds two master’s degrees and a graduate degree. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. 

A decision about who will be named permanent police chief could come as soon as next month, said Township Administrator Anthony Mercantante. 

“We have a civil service list; it’s a matter of looking at the list of candidates and making a decision,” he said. “I’ll make a recommendation to the township committee, and they’ll vote on whether to promote them.” 

Weber is a lifelong township resident.