To the Entire Fanwood Community:
The Fanwood Police Department has seen an increase in cases involving criminal mischief, vandalism, and property damage at the Fanwood Nature Center, LaGrande Park, and Forest Road Park. Most of these incidents occur shortly after schools get out. The money that it takes to fix these damages comes from the tax dollars of Fanwood residents and should be spent elsewhere to better our community.
I want to make this next statement very clear. Our public spaces are for everyone to enjoy. By breaking a building window, adding graffiti to a wall, destroying a public bathroom, etc, you are making these cherished parts of town unusable. Our Public Works Department has done a fantastic job at fixing these damages, but the time and money that it takes is extensive.
This Department has zero-tolerance for these crimes, and anyone found to be participating in vandalism and property damage will be held fully accountable, both criminally and financially. We strongly urge parents to speak with their children about the possible repercussions of engaging in this behavior. We also urge anyone noticing criminal behavior happening at any location in the Borough to contact the Fanwood Police Department immediately. Police will be performing increased checks of all Borough-owned properties, and additional surveillance measures are being put into effect immediately.
I wish this letter wasn’t necessary, but the goal is to ensure that Borough property remains a friendly and safe environment for everyone.
Lieutenant Daniel Kranz
Chief Law Enforcement Officer
Fanwood Police Department
dkranz@fanwoodnj.org.
