Elementary school gets lockdown
Public safety and school officials decided to lock down John M. Bailey School on West 10th Street last week as a result of a domestic violence incident that occurred nearby.
Although rumors circulated that there was a weapon involved, Public Safety Director Jason O’Donnell said the kids were brought into the school because of a loud dispute nearby, which involved the use of foul language.
“It was very loud and we decided that the kids shouldn’t have to overhear that,” O’Donnell said. “There was no weapon involved. Since schools are mandated to hold a lockdown drill, we used this as the drill.”
Two police officers promoted to sergeant
Bayonne has two new police sergeants, promoted from the ranks and sworn in mid-September by City Clerk Robert Sloan at a brief ceremony in City Hall.
Police Chief Ralph Scianni said the two new sergeants, Juan Carlos Betancourt and James Whitaker, have been assigned to the uniformed Patrol Division.
“This way they can get acclimated to their new rank and get experience,” Scianni said. “After that they will attend supervisor training at one of the police academies in the state.”
Betancourt, who has been a member of the Bayonne Police Department since 2002 has served in a number of units include Patrol, Street Crimes, Narcotics and the Detective Bureau.
Whitaker has been on the police department since 1998 and has served in the Cops in Schools Unit and the Patrol Unit.