Plumsted officer promoted

PLUMSTED - The Township Com-mittee has promoted Police Officer Sue DesMarias from part-time status to full-time, bringing the Plumsted Police Department to its highest level of 12 full-time uniformed police officers.

DesMarias was also given authority by the committee to enforce municipal code ordinances, a duty she had experience performing while she was an officer with the Long Branch Police Depart-ment, prior to being employed by Plumsted.

At its Aug. 1 meeting, the Township Commit-tee authorized participation in a grant program offered by the state Department of Law and Public Safety's Divis-ion of Highway Safety known as "Over the Limit and Under Arrest" impaired driving enforcement grant.

According to Mayor Ron Dancer, the Plumsted Police Department will receive $5,000 to pay for increased police patrol overtime for a two-week period from Aug. 17 through the Labor Day weekend of Sept. 3. Impaired drivers kill nearly 18,000 people on the nation's roads each year. In New Jersey, 252 of the 748 motor vehicle fatalities, or 34 percent, were alcohol related, according to the mayor.

The township's Municipal Alliance on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse will receive a supplemental grant of $2,000 from the Ocean County Board of Health to increase this year's grant award to $20,340.

Plumsted's court will benefit from an additional $2,537 grant for the Municipal Alcohol Education, Rehabilitation and Enforcement Grant Fund to offset the costs of special DUI court sessions and related expenses.

The Township Committee also authorized the filing of a grant application with the state Division of Criminal Justice for the Police Vest Body Armour Replace-ment Grant Fund, Dancer said.

In other news, the mayor said the police department has received one of two new patrol vehicles budgeted for this year. Recently put into service is a four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle and residents will see a departure from the traditional Crown Victoria police cars with delivery of a new Dodge Charger expected by the end of August.

The Township Committee authorized, on behalf of the first aid squad, the purchase of a 2007 Ford 450 ambulance chassis for $35,000. The new ambulance is expected to be in service early next year.

Plumsted has part-time employment opportunities for the positions of school crossing guard and building, grounds and parks maintenance employees. Contact the Municipal Clerk's Office at (609) 758-2241, ext. 101, for more information.

The New Egypt downtown Cruz Nites, featuring a display of classic and antique cars on the second Thursday of each month, will be held Aug. 9 and Sept. 13.