Oradell Receives more than $246,000 in First Responder Equipment to Fight Crime, Terror & Prepare for Emergency Response

Today, Congressman Josh Gottheimer joined with Oradell Police Chief William Wicker to announce that the town received equipment valued at $246,000 through the federal Law Enforcement Support Office Program (LESO). This return on investment (ROI) provides critical resources and claws back federal tax dollar already sent to Washington. It also provides critical tools to fight crime and protect Bogota families from lone wolf, ISIS-inspired terrorism.

This program is part of Gottheimer’s priority to get New Jersey first responders and veterans the tools they need, and lowering our property taxes by clawing back to NJ more of the federal tax dollars already sent to Washington.

In Gottheimer’s first year in office, the Fifth District has clawed back from the federal government $290 per household, a 16% increase from recent years.

The Fifth District pays some of the highest federal taxes in the nation, but prior to Gottheimer coming to Congress, only got back 33 cents on the dollar for what is sent to Washington, compared to Moocher States like $4.38 in Mississippi.

“The Oradell Police Department has done a fantastic job applying for and winning federal grants that claw back the federal tax dollars we already send to Washington. Today, Oradell Police Chief William Wicker, Sergeant David Gangemi, and Officer Rodger Pressburger gave me a tour of just some of the more than $200,000 worth of equipment they’ve received through federal grants to offset the strain on our local budgets and property tax bills and fight crime and terror,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “It is thanks to the hard work of towns and police departments like Oradell that the Fifth District has clawed back from the federal government $290 per household, a 16% increase from recent years. And the work’s not done yet.”

Oradell Police Chief William Wicker said, “The program’s been extremely beneficial. There’s no way you could obtain this type of equipment without burdening your own budget. We’ve been very happy with the equipment we’ve been able to obtain.”

A partial list of items that the town has received through the LESO program:

Mobile Command Center Trailer All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Automotive Vehicle Shop Equipment Pickup Truck Diesel Engine Generator Set Electrical Generator and Generator Sets Traffic Lights 43 Radios

Video of the visit can be found HERE.

Below: Gottheimer discusses the Mobile Command Center Trailer that Oradell received through the LESO Program with Sergeant David Gangemi (left) and Officer Rodger Pressburger (right)