PHOTOS & VIDEO: Off-duty police officers of the PBA Local 71 spent several hour combating graffiti in Lakewood this morning in an effort to make Lakewood a nicer and better place to live.
For the second year now and third such event, the officers and families – led by PBA’s President Gary Przewoznik – drove around town painting over fences and homes tagged with gang-related and other graffiti.
“We’re just trying to do our part by cleaning up the town and making sure everyone has a nice place to live”, PBA President Gary Przewoznik said.”
Some of the areas cleaned up were Chateau Grand, Ridge Avenue, Pine Street, East 7th, Clifton Avenue and Pine Park. TLS.
These officers need are full repsect on /off duty ,
Stay safe your always in our prayers !!!
Thank you PBA local 71! We appreciate your efforts!
Thank you for all you do for the town.
It would be much nicer if they helped people in need like the people living in tents rather than helping private owners who could afford to pay for this work themselves
Thanks!
The Lakewood P.B.A. Local No. 71, would just like to thank everyone that came out today to help us, “Paint the Town”, round 3. We cleaned up 9 locations in the downtown and outer perimeters of the town area today. Just a word to everyone that wonders why the home owners don’t cover the graffiti when it appears on their property. They are afraid they will become victimized by these undesirables. So, this is why we step up to help them out. We’re not afraid of them plus, we have a much bigger gang! Thanks again TLS, for covering the story. Hope to see everyone out at the next one, watch us on Facebook for updates!
Gary Przewoznik,
President P.B.A. Local No. 71
Oh and for #4. “I am not impressed” ,we have helped the people in tent city many times. Perhaps you have missed our soap kitchens and winter coat drives! If you would ever like to join us during one of our community events we are located at 231 Third Street!!!
Have a blessed day!
Dear Officer Gary,
Thank you and all the police officers who have our backs. No one truly realizes to what extent our men and women in uniform will go to help their respective cities.
Every day, as you leave your homes and bid your loved ones a good day, they pray for your safety that you may return whole that night.
God-speed to all of you. My blessing to you is that the crime in this city should be so far gone that the only thing left to do is to paint over the gaffiti of the long-defunct gangs :)!
Thank you officer przewoznick for all you have done to make our city look more respectable. Sorry I couldnt come help this time. Special thanks for getting rid of the graffiti on clifton ave. you are a great example of a police officer that cares about his job.
Thank you for cleaning up
G-D BLESS ALL OF YOU, just saw 1,000 on here that could of helped, and dont fall for they are afraid, just to lazy, again G-D BLESS YOU AND YOURS
To Gary Przewoznik:
i am fully aware why property owners dont want to “deface a gang tag” as that will earn retribution. its about as bad as a rival tagging over the original- but what i dont understand is why property owners dont want to sign up on a list, and supply the materials/supplies needed for this. this just screams of selfish/lazy/greedy/cheap property owners.
i commend anyone, including the PBA members who donate their time and energy to help clean up lakewood and drive the message to these filthy gang-members that their kind will not be tolerated – but i just cant understand why your donated money needs to go towards cleaning up private property.
IF MY PLAN (property owners supplying the materials/supplies) IS IMPLEMENTED, THEN WE WILL SEE WHICH PROPERTY OWNERS ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT LAKEWOOD.
in life, i was taught something; you shouldnt help those that dont want to help themselves, and dont waste your time helping lazy “low-drag” individuals. and in this case, thats were our code/township inspectors should come out and start fining people for unkempt properties. im sure during your criminal justice college courses you went over the “BROKEN WINDOWS” theory, by social scientists James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling.
The title comes from the following example:
Consider a building with a few broken windows. If the windows are not repaired, the tendency is for vandals to break a few more windows. Eventually, they may even break into the building, and if it’s unoccupied, perhaps become squatters or light fires inside. Or consider a sidewalk. Some litter accumulates. Soon, more litter accumulates. Eventually, people even start leaving bags of trash from take-out restaurants there or breaking into cars.
-THAT THEORY DESCRIBES LAKEWOOD TO A T! SLUM-LORDS AND THOSE WHO DONT UPKEEP THEIR PROPERTIES ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROBLEM. LOOK AT THE VAST AMOUNT OF DILAPIDATED HOMES IN LAKEWOOD(and they are still occupied!) MORE PARTS OF LAKEWOOD RESEMBLE DETROIT, THAN A ONCE FAMILY ORIENTED NJ QUIET TOWN. I think its time property owners stepped up to the plate more often; even if that means outside volunteers doing the work- but at least property owners supplying the most expensive part of the job = supplies. OR BE FINED FOR NOT UP-KEEPING THE STANDARD THAT EVERY TOWN HAS!!(mow your lawns, no parking on grass, etc)
Thanks to all the volunteers who are helping clean up this town.
@I am not impressed.
Even though this was completely volunteer the people who own houses actually pay taxes and aren’t illegally squatting on town property. Plus if the people living in tents don’t want to help themselves why should anyone else. The government offers a plethora of assistance to people w low or no income. They really have to be destructive to themselves to lose all forms of aid.
And what is wrong with people that they will complain about others who are volunteering their own time. If you’re so in love w the people in tent city why don’t you volunteer to house a few of them.
Think it is great that the police officers give of their time to try and clean up Lakewood, but I don’t like the idea that private homeowners say they are afraid to cover things up, this is just a way to get someone to do it for nothing. I have to keep my house and yard clean by myself. Next time maybe I could get some free labor to paint. Think the police should drive around town and tell people to put all their toys and bikes in their backyards,it would help make this town a little cleaner and neater. Have pictures of years ago when people had pride in their residence,not so today.
Nice job everyone. Thank you for taking time out of your day help make our town look better 🙂
To Gary.
We all appreciate the hard work you do in this town. Do not be fazed by people like #4, who just complain about everything.
Thanks for all that you and the men in blue do for us.