Many police departments were pushing for extra caution by officers Friday, and some were already looking to strengthen their ties with the communities they serve. Watch video
PATERSON -- In the wake of the rising tensions over the deaths of black men at the hands of police in Louisiana and Minnesota and the murder of five police officers in Dallas Thursday night during a protest, many police departments in the Garden State are putting their officers on alert and mourning the deaths of those who died on duty in Dallas.
Some also said they will look for ways to work closer with the community.
Paterson Police Director Jerry Speziale said the city was already in the process of setting up a public forum with the community to discuss police-involved shootings and use of force.
"We've never stopped people from protesting," he said. "We never wipe anything under the rug, but when five police officers are assassinated, it's tragic, it's alarming and it's concerning. It's got to be the single largest mass shooting of police officers."
"My thoughts and prayers are with those officers," Speziale said. "There's no reason for anyone to die. It's just a horrible situation."
Linden Police Chief James M. Schulhafer said his command staff has recently attended several meetings with the clergy over their concerns with police and community relations, and the department continues to build relationships with citizen groups, business groups and the clergy and by speaking daily with the public and attending community meetings.
"Although the Dallas event is a tragedy, the Linden Police Department has a commitment to building community relations and serving the public in a town where many of us still live," Schulhafer said.
Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said New Jersey's largest city will be "more vigilant" at planned protests happening over the weekend.
"We are going to ensure that people have their first amendment rights," Ambrose said in a phone interview Friday morning. "But, we have to make sure security (is in place) in case of any copycats."
Thursday, a small group in Newark blocked downtown traffic during a demonstration against police violence. That and other similar protests in the city "have been peaceful," Ambrose said.
Police will be monitoring at least two other planned protests they know of in the city this weekend, he said, one near police headquarters on Clinton Avenue Friday evening and one at Newark Penn Station Saturday, as well as any others that form.
Police in Newark are also meeting with the city's Clergy Alliance Friday morning, and clergy members will take to the streets with police officers to help maintain peace, Ambrose said. Despite the extra precautions, citizens will not be stopped from hosting the protests, he said.
"We will only disrupt them if they start to damage property or injure people," but that has not happened during any of the recent Black Lives Matter protests in Newark, he said.
Police departments urge vigilance
Other police departments, such as Bergenfield, Edison, Hackensack, Hoboken, Plainfield, Teaneck, Trenton and Woodbridge, are similarly pushing for vigilance, though these towns haven't yet made plans for any public forums.
* In Bergenfield: Chief Cathy Madalone said her department was always on high alert, but officers have been advised to be even more vigilant.
"We are deeply saddened by the events which occurred in Dallas. We send our condolences and prays to the officers, their families, the Dallas PD, their community and to all law enforcement across the country."
* In Edison: Chief Thomas Bryan said he and his staff are taking steps in response to the killing of five police officers in Dallas, and that all of his officers have been placed on high alert.
"We're coordinating with other agencies and sharing intelligence," the chief said. "We have to take steps to protect our officers and protect the public when they respond to every job."
Bryan called the attacks in Dallas "a tragic situation that appears to be premeditated."
* In Hackensack: Capt. Francesco Aquila, officer in charge of the police department, echoed the need for "extra caution" by officers.
"I am not going to use any big words, I am not going to use any fancy language," Aquila said. "Everyone is being advised to be extra vigilant and use extra caution while they are out there. This is what we are advising all of our men and women."
* In Hoboken: Police Chief Kenneth Ferrante said his thoughts and prayers, and those of all the officers in his department, were with the wounded officers and the families of all the officers shot in Dallas.
"It's all about being alert and aware of their surroundings," said Ferrante, whose department holds regular "Coffee with a Cop" sessions, allowing residents to meet and talk to officers informally.
"I think the key is continuing to build good community relations," Ferrante said. "Fortunately, we do have good relations with the community."
* In Plainfield: Plainfield Police Director Carl Riley said the department was "remaining vigilant with a heightened sense of alert today."
"I know my heart and the Plainfield Police Divisions members' hearts go out to the Dallas Police Department and their families over this completely senseless act of violence," Riley said.
* In Teaneck: Deputy Mayor Elie Y. Katz said the police department was "remaining vigilant right now and plan to maintain a heightened sensitivity and heightened awareness" but no community forums were currently being planned.
"You have to remember that Teaneck was among the leaders in creating community policing (the system of allocating police officers to particular areas so that they become familiar with the local residents)," Katz said. "We were ahead of the curve in terms of reaching out to the community and not just in times of crisis."
* In Trenton: Lt. Stephen Varn, Trenton police spokesman, said the department always train on officer safety and awareness while protecting citizens and city.
"The safety of our citizens and officers is paramount," he said. "Obviously, something like this happening is a wake-up call. It can happen anywhere."
* In Woodbridge: Capt. Roy Hoppick of the Woodbridge Police Department said no specific steps have been taken to place the department on heightened alert, but the Dallas shootings are being discussed.
"We are telling the officers to be vigilant and don't take anything as routine," Hoppick said. "We are telling them to be aware of your surroundings. "
Hoppick said what happened in Dallas "could happen anywhere."
"Nothing is routine anymore," he said. "But, we're here to serve and protect and that's what we'll do."
Building trust
To Speziale, the Dallas shooting and deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile in Louisiana and Minnesota highlight two key aspects of law enforcement in the 21st century: building trust with the community and police legitimacy.
"What does this really boil down to? Police legitimacy," he said. "Building trust between the police and the community is key. In Paterson, we have a decade low in police brutality complaints. We are very in tune with the community. We have a really good connection to all the ethnicities, the faith-based groups, the civic-based."
Diversity among officers on the Paterson Police Department helps in building those ties with the community, he said, as does an early intervention software known as "IA Pro," which flags officers for potential misconduct and brutality along with other administrative issues.
Many police departments were already in mourning Friday over the deaths of five officers and the wounding of seven others in Dallas. In Gloucester Township, police will be wearing mourning bands to honor "to honor the fallen officers of the Dallas PD and DART while also serving as a symbol that we share in the grief of Dallas area law enforcement community and support police officers throughout our entire country."
According to a Nixle alert from Middle Township police, the chief of the Dallas Police Department has asked law enforcement agencies to have a prayer session at noon on Friday for the five officers killed in the line of duty.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the friends and families of @DallasPD #GoneButNotForgotten #ThinBlueLine pic.twitter.com/3EEwhgzRhu
-- NJSP - State Police (@NJSP) July 8, 2016
Thoughts and prayers go out to the brave men and women of the law enforcement community in #Dallas pic.twitter.com/HOFWhnMBbG
-- Bergenfield PD (@BergenfieldNJPD) July 8, 2016
Staff writers Anthony Attrino, Kevin Shea, Jessica Mazzola, Jessica Remo and Sue Epstein contributed to this report.
Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.