Advisory
(609) 799-1222
Records Fax (609) 799-6338 * Fax (609) 897-9010
DB Fax (609) 799-6515 * Dispatch Fax (609) 799-3516
PRESS INFORMATION
INCIDENT: 2020-6814 Assist Persons
DATE & TIME OCCURRED: 3/4/2020 at 5:33 pm
LOCATION OCCURRED: Wegmans Parking Lot (Nassau Park Pavilion)
OFFICERS: 1) Sgt. Brodowski #479
2) Traffic Officer Brown #89
3) Det. Jany #91
4) K9 Officer Zicha #96 & K9 Hodge
5) Traffic Officer/Drone Pilot McQuade #97
6) Ptl. Pollini #99
7) Ptl. LaForge #104
ASSISTED PERSON:
B/M 29 years old **Identity not being released**
Resident of Trenton, NJ 08610
WWPD COMMUNICATIONS CENTER: 1) Disp. Quinn #752
2) Disp. DeStefano #766
3) Disp. Handelman #767
OTHERS AGENCIES INVOLVED: 1) Princeton PD
2) Lawrence Twp. PD
DETAILS: At 5:33 pm, Dispatch advised all available Units that an Autistic adult male had run away from his caregiver in the parking lot of Wegmans. Further information was relayed via the Communications Center that the adult male had a disagreement with his caregiver and ran away in the direction of the Target store. K9 Officer Zicha arrived on scene and met with the caregiver who advised him that the victim commonly runs away after an argument, but usually this occurs when they are in Hamilton Township. Therefore, the male was unfamiliar with the area of Nassau Park (including the surrounding wooded area/waterways with sundown approaching at 5:52 pm). In addition, the adult male would sometimes not return until the next day.
Multiple units arrived and began a systematic search of the nearby stores and the walking paths in & around the Nassau Park Pavilion. Traffic Officer/Drone Pilot McQuade deployed his Drone while K9 Officer Zicha & his partner K9 Hodge began a search along the wooded areas surrounding Nassau Park Pavilion including the area of the D&R Canal (*see attached photo, using thermal imaging, of K9 Officer Zicha & K9 Hodge as provided by Drone Pilot McQuade*).
The Communications Center advised Princeton PD and Lawrence Twp. of the unfolding incident and requested they check their areas that abut the Nassau Park border. As the WWPD continued their arduous store to store search for the missing man, Ptl. Pollini and Ptl. LaForge were advised by staff at Michael’s that there was a subject fitting the description of the individual. Ptl. LaForge subsequently located the male at the rear of the store. The male was ultimately reunited with the Program Manager without any further incident.
Chief Garofalo wanted to thank our partners at Princeton PD and Lawrence Twp. PD for their assistance. In addition, Chief Garofalo wanted to praise the actions of our Communications Center & our Officers who worked together seamlessly and with all of our resources to locate the man. Chief Garofalo is fully aware how this situation could have easily had a much different and tragic ending.
**************
OFFICER PREPARING RELEASE: Lt. Lee #359
DATE OF RELEASE: 3/4/2020
**************
**WWPD Press Release 3/4/2020 Assist Person Inc. #2020-6814 Report by K9 Officer Zicha. Release Issued by Lt. Lee
WEST WINDSOR TOWNSHIP POLICE DEPARTMENT
20 Municipal Drive * P.O. Box 38
West Windsor, New Jersey 08550
20 Municipal Drive * P.O. Box 38
West Windsor, New Jersey 08550
ROBERT GAROFALO PhD(c), Chief of Police
(609) 799-1222
Records Fax (609) 799-6338 * Fax (609) 897-9010
DB Fax (609) 799-6515 * Dispatch Fax (609) 799-3516
PRESS INFORMATION
INCIDENT: 2020-6814 Assist Persons
DATE & TIME OCCURRED: 3/4/2020 at 5:33 pm
LOCATION OCCURRED: Wegmans Parking Lot (Nassau Park Pavilion)
OFFICERS: 1) Sgt. Brodowski #479
2) Traffic Officer Brown #89
3) Det. Jany #91
4) K9 Officer Zicha #96 & K9 Hodge
5) Traffic Officer/Drone Pilot McQuade #97
6) Ptl. Pollini #99
7) Ptl. LaForge #104
ASSISTED PERSON:
B/M 29 years old **Identity not being released**
Resident of Trenton, NJ 08610
WWPD COMMUNICATIONS CENTER: 1) Disp. Quinn #752
2) Disp. DeStefano #766
3) Disp. Handelman #767
OTHERS AGENCIES INVOLVED: 1) Princeton PD
2) Lawrence Twp. PD
DETAILS: At 5:33 pm, Dispatch advised all available Units that an Autistic adult male had run away from his caregiver in the parking lot of Wegmans. Further information was relayed via the Communications Center that the adult male had a disagreement with his caregiver and ran away in the direction of the Target store. K9 Officer Zicha arrived on scene and met with the caregiver who advised him that the victim commonly runs away after an argument, but usually this occurs when they are in Hamilton Township. Therefore, the male was unfamiliar with the area of Nassau Park (including the surrounding wooded area/waterways with sundown approaching at 5:52 pm). In addition, the adult male would sometimes not return until the next day.
Multiple units arrived and began a systematic search of the nearby stores and the walking paths in & around the Nassau Park Pavilion. Traffic Officer/Drone Pilot McQuade deployed his Drone while K9 Officer Zicha & his partner K9 Hodge began a search along the wooded areas surrounding Nassau Park Pavilion including the area of the D&R Canal (*see attached photo, using thermal imaging, of K9 Officer Zicha & K9 Hodge as provided by Drone Pilot McQuade*).
The Communications Center advised Princeton PD and Lawrence Twp. of the unfolding incident and requested they check their areas that abut the Nassau Park border. As the WWPD continued their arduous store to store search for the missing man, Ptl. Pollini and Ptl. LaForge were advised by staff at Michael’s that there was a subject fitting the description of the individual. Ptl. LaForge subsequently located the male at the rear of the store. The male was ultimately reunited with the Program Manager without any further incident.
Chief Garofalo wanted to thank our partners at Princeton PD and Lawrence Twp. PD for their assistance. In addition, Chief Garofalo wanted to praise the actions of our Communications Center & our Officers who worked together seamlessly and with all of our resources to locate the man. Chief Garofalo is fully aware how this situation could have easily had a much different and tragic ending.
**************
OFFICER PREPARING RELEASE: Lt. Lee #359
DATE OF RELEASE: 3/4/2020
**************
Address/Location
West Windsor Police Department, NJ
271 Clarksville Rd
West Windsor Township, NJ 08550
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 609-799-1222
TEXT-A-TIP - Text TIP WWPD followed by your message, to 888777