MORRIS TOWNSHIP – For the 14th year, Morris County’s Annual National Night Out event was held on Tuesday, August 2 at the Mennen Sports Arena in Morris Township.

The local take on the national event was held from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. offering a variety of free attractions, including food, drinks, live entertainment, ice-skating, and giveaways.

Fire, police, and rescue personnel were on hand to demonstrate a range of skills and equipment used in helping protect Morris County residents.

“This is a perfect event to bring together our police, fire and county rescue teams with county residents, to have them explain what they do, talk about important community crime and safety efforts, and also to have a good time at the ice rink on a hot summer night,’’ said Morris County Freeholder Douglas Cabana in a statement.

The Morris County Park Police offered registration for their Child ID cards, an initiative launched in 2000 that has registered more than 1,000 children annually.

Mennen Arena is located at 161 East Hanover Avenue, Morris Township.

National Night Out, which began in 1984, is an annual nationwide communituilding campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make neighborhoods safer and better places to live. It provides an opportunity to bring police and residents together in a positive setting, while promoting a countywide sense of community.

Neighborhoods across the nation host block parties, festivals, parades, cookouts and other community events with safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel and exhibits.

The National Night Out event in Morris County had a special focus on families, and the police, rescue and emergency services available to them.
Visitors were able to investigate the essential equipment of police, fire, and emergency teams, including motorcycles, ambulances, all-terrain vehicles, fire engines, and squad cars.

“The Morris County National Night Out for the past seven years has received national recognition because it offers a comprehensive array of participating agencies to educate the public on available community services,” said newly appointed Park Police Chief Gabriel DiPietro.

Each year since 2007, the National Association of Town Watch has named the Morris County’s National Night Out event a national award winner.

The Park Police Department currently patrols park facilities in cars and on motorcycles, bicycles, all-terrain vehicles, and horses to ensure public safety.

PARSIPPANY — On Friday, July 29 at 10:39 p.m. the Parsippany Police Department’s Communication Desk received a 911 call reporting an armed robbery in progress at The Dairy at Lake Hiawatha, 79 North Beverwyck Road.

Multiple patrol units along with Detective Keiling responded to the scene. The caller advised that a heavy set Indian male, wearing a brown and yellow shirt, with rolled up jeans entered the store and demanded the victims give him the money, while holding a knife. The caller and three other employees immediately fled from behind the counter and hid in the restroom, at which time they called 911.

Upon arrival of Patrol Officer Armenti and Silva they searched the inside of the store and found that the suspect had fled the area.

All four victims were escorted out of the bathroom by the police at which time they stated that they were not injured. Officers on scene also observed damage to multiple ice cream topping canisters that were pushed off of the top of the ice cream coolers and onto the ground by the suspect.

Shortly after Patrol Lt. T. Pomroy and Patrol Officer C. Silva began checking the surrounding area and spoke to citizens that reported a male had fled down the alley of 77 North Beverwyck Road.

The Officers immediately checked the area and found Arjuna Ganesan, 44, Parsippany, crouching down in the recess of a doorway in the alley. Mr. Ganesan’s clothing also matched the description given by the victims.

Mr. Ganesan was placed under arrest at which time three knives were found in his possession, along with a sum of cash that was stolen from the business. He was also positively identified as the person who robbed the store. He was transported back to Parsippany Police Department Headquarters were he was processed and charged with Robbery in the first degree, three counts of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon in the fourth degree, Possession of a Weapon for Unlawful Purposes, Theft of Movable Property, and Criminal Mischief.

Judge Frese set the bail at $20,000. with no 10% option. Mr. Ganesan was then transported to the Morris County Jail in default of his bail.

The Morris County Sheriff’s Department CID also responded to the scene to assist in the investigation.