There has been considerable interest concerning an Eruv that was taken down by a member of the police department. There has been speculation this was an anti-Semitic gesture and I would like to set the record straight on this. Earlier this year, I received correspondence from JCP&L informing all police departments of the following: New Jersey State Statute 27:5-9 prohibits the placing of signs (political or otherwise) on public utility poles. In addition, Section 27:5-23 states “It shall be the duty of all departments of State or local government and all county and municipal officers charged with the enforcement of State and municipal laws under the direction of the commissioner to assist in the enforcement of the previsions of this act and the orders issuer or rules or regulations adopted pursuant to this act…the Chief of Police of an municipality are authorized and charged under the direction of the commissioner to enforce the provision of this act and any rules or regulations adopted pursuant thereto” Section 27:5-16 prescribes penalties ranging from $50 to $500 for each offense. Each day of the violation may be deemed to be a separate offense.
( Please visit the following link for additional information: http://www.hopewelltwp.org/njpl.pdf)
I passed this information along at a staff meeting and it wasn’t until last week that it became an issue when an Eruv was taken down since it was attached to a JCP&L pole and technically in violation of the above state statute. When I became aware of what had transpired, I called our regional JCP&L Manager and asked him if we could allow the Eruvs on their poles since it is not a sign, poster or banner as described in the statute. I was told that nylon type fishing line Eruvs on their utility poles are definitely not allowed since it would create a hazard for their workers but that a plastic strip (described as a piece of conduit?) was allowable. I also discussed the situation with Committeeman Meir Lichtenstein, who is further researching it with officials from JCP&L.
Subsequently, I called the homeowner (who was very reasonable and understanding) whose Eruv had been taken down and explained the rationale for what had taken place.
All this being said, it is our mission to protect and serve the community and an integral part of that is being respectful and sensitive to the religious practices and customs of all Lakewood residents. The Eruv in question had been up for over a decade and if JCP&L had not removed it when they performed service to the wires on this pole, it is not appropriate for the police to remove it and in the future, it will not be done.
Chief Rob Lawson
I don’t get it, maybe someone can explain this to me. The police chief acknowledges at the end that the eruv shouldn’t have been ripped down since it’s been up for over a DECADE and the utility company didn’t care at all – so why should a lakewood police officer “worry” for them, but still seems to somehow justify the actions of the police officer???????
Judging from this story I would think the officer in question should receive some sort of reprimand, not justification.
THIS IS A SPIT IN THE FACE TO EVERY OFFICER OF THE LAKEWOOD POLICE DEPT.
“The Eruv in question had been up for over a decade and if JCP&L had not removed it when they performed service to the wires on this pole, it is not appropriate for the police to remove it” – SO IF THE JCP&L EMPLOYEE’S DONT REMOVE IT, IT MAKES IT NOW LEGAL?? JUST BECAUSE THE JCP&L EMPLOYEE’S DONT DO THIER JOB, DOESNT MEAN THE LAKEWOOD POLICE SHOULD FOLLOW IN THOSE FOOTSTEPS.
im half jewish, my father’s side is very religious, so im respectful of all faiths… but this is just down right pandering.
amen. chief we luv ya !! keep up the great work
We are lucky! So very lucky, to have a Police chief who puts up with our trivial needs day in and day out. According to Chief Lawson, the Officer did nothing wrong, as a matter of fact he deserves to be commended for his dedication, for he returned a second time to make sure that the law was being upheld. Everyone who complains about our policemen and policewomen think about this, who will you call if chas v’shalom there is an armed robber in your house?
To 2. Mr. Conservative
The point is that the eruv didn’t bother anyone and was helping out the community, and name one good reason why this should bother someone?
Also, obviously the utility company (who are the only ones who could mind) don’t mind at all since it’s been up there and all around Lakewood & the entire tristate area for decades. This then was obviously not the intent of the above law so therefore should quite obviously not be enforced.
“nylon type fishing line Eruvs on their utility poles are definitely not allowed since it would create a hazard” + “The point is that the eruv didn’t bother anyone” = if im speeding and not bothering anyone, should lakewood police turn there heads too, just because no one else is enforcing it? because im not hurting anyone? because another police officer was to lazy to stop me…. should no other police officer stop me?
Bottom line is the residents cant demand/expect selective enforcement.
the law- is the law.
read the response from JCP&L it is not OK with them to have the string on the pole. The eruv may have been there for years but in that time, how many times did it get replaced for some reason or another, may be JCP&L did take it down and it was quietly put back up. we do not really know the history of this eruv but it seems we just want to attack this officer. I think it should stop. The chief did the right thing in the right way. Gather the facts then proceed. Thank You Chief Lawson.
Mr conservitive,
What seems to be bothering you, is the general idea that Chief Lawson so graciously cares about the specific needs of the Lakewood orthodox community,nothing more. Yes if you r going a few miles over the speed limit in a non armful manner you should be granted some lieniency as we all are. Dont be a hater!
#9- who said im a hater? i just told you im half jewish myself.
what im trying to get to- is that the law, is the law. why should we bend laws, and rules for certain people- and then stick it to someone else?
you know the rules- follow them! or get a permit to be allow it.
P.S.-
the speed limit sign is your warning. If you get caught… dont expect leniency just because its 1mph over the limit, and dont use cultural sensitivity as a crutch based upon your religion/skin color/nationality/or anything else.
Mr. Conservative has a good point the police should not be able to enforce some laws and not others. Now since we now know that it is the responsibility of the police to keep the poles clear some people need to say sorry to that poor officer who was just doing his job not knowing he was not suppose to enforce the law to some!
how do these help the community ??????
Well done Chief Lawson. Thanks for your sensitivity.
Speeding when nobody is around is a hazard to oneself
I don’t see the comparison to a fishing line that doesn’t bother anyone
apparently you can enlighten us
Half Jewish so what??
a fishing line can hold a fish thats tugging violently that weigh’s in excess of 30lb’s.
A child (inside or outside of jewish faith) hanging on it, could cause an already weak, broken, damaged, weather stripped power line to come down.
you think power lines come down only in bad weather or car accidents? no sometimes they come down on there own. take it from me- im a fireman.
Police officers in Lakewood are very familiar with the Eruv and the Jewish communities need for an Eruv, if this particular officer felt that they were elegal he should have followed proper protocol, and not jump out of his car violently rip down the Eruv. very few Officers in Lakewood act this way but like every thing in life even the nicest sack of apples will always have a rotten apple in the bunch.
The Chief very carefully selected his words not to offend the Officer or the Jewish community and that’s why we love him and that’s why he is Chief.
(just did some research: Fishing lines are produced with ratings from two to 400 pound test.)
That just strengthens my argument that children can hang on it or could do something that causes it to be tugged or pulled, and cause the power lines to come down.
Aside from the poll, there shouldn’t be anything connection the wires to the human level or even with in reach. its a safety risk, and if something does happen- people will sue stating “well the chief allowed it! We didn’t know it could kill little johnny”
To Mr. Concervative:
I hate to say it, but you seem like a bored, rigid, self-hating “half” Jew.
If you knew what an eruv was you would know that it is put high enough that any child or adult cannot pull or yank on it. And there shouldn’t even be any branches attached to or hanging onto it. So don’t give me the “unsafe” arguement. If JCP&L has a problem with them, let them deal with it. It’s not a policeman’s job to butt in there. I think he was just doing it out of spite.
As I have stated before in other post- many of the different attachments are a hazard to the three utilities and their employees that need to work on poles. Workers know the law and enforce it when necessary but they are also aware of the need of the religious community and may leave the devices alone if it doesn’t prevent them from completing a job safely -just because a worker leaves the device in place- don’t take it as they have bless it off as OK , the next time work is preformed at the same location it may need to be removed. As the JCPL Manager stated- a simple strip would for the most part serve EVERYONE’S need. Many times workers cant expend the time to take every illegal attachment off all the poles because of the volume of need to be completed elsewhere in town to keep everyone happy and in electric/cable/phone service.
Do we swat at every bee or just the ones that cause us harm? Your a guest on the pole -Keep it simple and everyone will be happy and all needs will be fulfilled.
I don’t buy it . The letter was sent directly to Hopewell Township NOT to Lakewood ,there is also no date on the letter , it could be a few years old. JCP&L has seen and has left the Eruv lines up FOR YEARS !! and if they meant Eruv lines , they would definitly sent a letter to Lakewood , as I’m sure there are more stuff on our poles than other towns combined . Also in the original post it said the Officer violently ripped it down as if he was taking satisfaction in his actions not just upholding the law .I wish the homeowners in that area that witnessed it had taken videos and posted them online , a call to the Attorney General’s office also would have been a good idea .
Tell me…I have a neighbor whose mailbox is attached to a utility pole(since he ran over the box several times pulling into his driveway)…is this legal???
TO #18: this isn’t a forum for your opinions on me. I’m not criticizing you, for your opinions. If you have no valid point to make towards the story, then I suggest you log off and find a hobby. Calling me bored because o choose to comment on here- throws everyone including you under the same category.
Explain if it so high- how did the officer reach it, to “violently rip it off?”
the chief is sworn to uphold the law and by his own admission it was a violation of law and he needs to make sure the laws are enforced equally and not pander to a certain segment of the community, and he needs to back his officers who are out there doing their job by enforcing the laws. And it’s actions like this by the chief that make other members of the community feel like they are second class citizens due to his special treatment of a certain segment of the community.
Because it is a property owner as the owner of the public streets and sidewalks and the utility poles on which symbolic boundaries are to be strung, some authorities have interpreted Jewish law as requiring the local governmental entity to participate in the Jewish-law aggregation of property as one of the property owners by agreeing to creation of the eruv, and to give permission for the construction of a symbolic boundary on its property. In addition, because municipal law and the rules of utility companies, in general, prohibit third parties from stringing attachments to utility poles and wires, the creation of an eruv has often necessitated obtaining permissions, easements, and exceptions to various local ordinances.
For all us non jews… what exactly is an eruv
I don’t know the height of this particular eruv string. Maybe it was low enough to be reached and therefore was a hazard. Normally a reg. adult should be able to walk under it free and clear of touching it. I know I need a ladder to put mine up.
why arent you posting my comment?
#22
Jews are not allowed to carry anything in there hands or pockets or push a stroller on there Sabbath (Friday at sundown until Saturday at sundown). However the bible left a legal loop hole, by enclosing your area with a fence or a string you can create a Eruv, the laws regarding Eruv and how and when they work are very complex. In a nutshell the Eruv allows Jewish people to carry on Saturday.
just like you must have a warrant to enter someones house so to you must obey the law regarding poles such as these being an officer he should know better than acting like a vigilante whats this about ourpolice chief defending him instead of reprimanding him
Mr. Conservative, I think you should confirm you’re only half Jewish, you present your arguments really well. Stop by BMG someday and check out the Talmud , I think you’ll find it to your liking and way of thinking. Might as well pick up Tractate Eruvin while you’re at it (Laws of Eruv), then you might be able to make the argument that I will make: To have a kosher Eruv, you need a lechi on top of a korah ( string on top of a pole). Attaching a string 8 feet off the ground doesn’t work regardless to have a kosher eruv. Maybe the cop learnt Eruvin?
i wonder why every police officer and public employee is afraid to rip down the memorial on East 7th near Cornelius for the person (gang member) who was assainated a few years ago at that spot.
That is because the police are afraid of the Gangs.
But when a string which is not a poster or political banner (for what the law states is illegal- not strings) which is a religious protocol for the major majority of the Lakewood community is ripped down with no sense of sensitivity that can be ripped down.. A Police officer needs to understand his actions and how he acts out to keep the law. One major point is to “Hold the peace” or create peace not the opposite.. He could have spoken to the chief how to handle this in a respectful manner if he felt it was “breaking the law”. A little education would help this police officer. It’s not just a string. It allows us as Jews to uphold our Sabbath and not transgress it. By the police officer ripping it down 2 times he showed a lack of sensitivity to his constituents and obviously a lack of knowledge. Or a person not really caring for other religious observance which is rare for most police officers especially in Lakewood.
What if it was a Cross? Would he have had the sensitivity not to rip it down as it is a religious sign? I would. I would not dare rip it down. I would believe the police officer would have called Chief Lawson and asked him what he thought would be the best level headed action as not to insult someone’s belief..
Maybe we should hang the strings up with magen davids so the police officer would maybe understand the religious significance of the string. It’s not just a string. It allows us as Jews to uphold our Sabbath and not transgress the holiest day of the week for orthodox Jews.
I think that Cong. Sons of Israel got a leter from the executives of JCP&L years ago when they put up there eruv that they allow them to use the poles please Verify with their Rabbi Tendler or Mr. David Lijbik the guy in charge of Cong. Sons of Israel Eruv they might have a copy of that letter from JCP&L in their Possession
di gantze oilem zol gein shluffen !!!
To conservative:
I believe you are earnestly trying to defend and uphold what is “right”. I also believe that, being half jewish you have no bias towards the jewish community, you just support the upholding of “the law”.
Nevertheless, I’m trying to understand. Do you advocate being a stickler? always actively searching for “technical” violations of the law, even in instances where there are no complaints, grievances or obvious hazards to anyone ?
Should policemen who work for the township. actively and without any township directive, TARGET specific neighborhoods in search of some violation of municipal or other statue? which neighborhoods do you recommend?
Just remember In Nazi Germany they weren’t such sticklers, “by law” you would be a JEW too.
mr. conservative- if you’re only jewish from your father. i.e. not really jewish. why are putting up an eruv?
Enough with your posts ! Stop embarrassing yourself ! You obviously don’t know anything about Eruv . It’s high enough from hands reach (in most cases you need a ladder to reach it ) and it’s way below the electric lines . So there is no danger to anyone but your high blood pressure about this issue !!! If it’s in technicians way then he can snip it and it’s done deal .
You people dont seem to get it. The job of the police is to issue a fine not take down an eruv (because he wants to show his athority). Sorry if it needs to be removed JCP&L will take care of that.
The main issue here is that an eruv is high up and is a thin string.Its not really noticiable to anyone not looking for it. How did the policeman even see it? Did the officer also take down all the illegal signs posted on the poles? Was this really the police officers job?He didn’t even know for sure if it was illegal. If it JCP&l’s private property,if they have an issue they will take care of it.
Maybe work on all the grafitti that is taking over our town,written on personal and public property.Now thats a crime!
They could become harmful to JCP&L, Verizon, cable company employess or anyone else who needs to scale the pole for any reason. A line with a 300 pound test is especially dangerous when working in a truck with a bucket attached that they raise themselves up to the top of the pole with. If the bucket becomes hooked on it, when it releases it could launch the operator into the air and ultimately back to the ground. Worst case scenario of course, and I obviously don’t know if there have been any incidents of that situation. I am not for or opposed to the hanging of the strings for any reason. However if safety for others is in question then take them down.
#32 I don’t think you know what you are talking about the cops are not afraid of the gangs. I know of a lot of brave cops in this very town who will take on any gang member. I see them sitting in high point just looking for trouble trying to keep this town safe so watch yourself and don’t assume! Afraid of gangs please!