RELEASE: Gottheimer Hosts First Responder Roundtable in Paramus to Hear Directly from North Jersey Police, Fire, and EMS Leaders

Resources / Press Share on RELEASE: Gottheimer Hosts First Responder Roundtable in Paramus to Hear Directly from North Jersey Police, Fire, and EMS Leaders Jul 27, 2026 Press Above: Gottheimer meets with first responders and public safety leaders from across the Fifth District. PARAMUS, N.J. — On July 24, 2026, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) hosted a First Responder Roundtable in Paramus with more than seventy fire chiefs, police chiefs, sheriffs, prosecutors, and union leaders from across North Jersey to hear directly about the challenges facing local departments and to discuss his work in Washington to support the hard-working people who keep Jersey families safe. “This room is full of people who run toward danger while everybody else is running the other way,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) . “On behalf of the entire Fifth District, thank you for your service and your sacrifice. I’m proud of what we’ve done, but I’m not satisfied. I’m going to keep fighting for it in Washington, the same way I have for the last decade, because the people in this room are the reason our towns are safe.” Immediately following the roundtable, Gottheimer announced more than $42 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding to strengthen law enforcement and keep Jersey communities safe. This funding comes on top of the $8.5 million previously secured to protect Jersey during the World Cup, totaling more than $50 million clawed back for New Jersey law enforcement since June. Gottheimer highlighted the pressures he hears across the District: fire departments running pumpers 25 or 30 years past their service life while new trucks approach a million dollars; smaller police departments struggling to compete for recruits; and EMS squads funded call by call but expected to stand ready around the clock. More than 94 percent of local police departments nationwide have fewer than 100 sworn officers. Since 2017, Gottheimer has clawed back more than $17 million in Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) resources, more than $11 million in Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG), and nearly $7 million in Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants. This year, he helped push Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG) resources from $499 million to $964 million nationally and COPS resources from $417 million to $800 million, and secured $8.5 million for World Cup security and $30 million for bulletproof vests. As the Co-Chair of the Law Enforcement Caucus and a member of the Fire Services Caucus, Gottheimer helped pass the Fire Grants and Safety Act into law and introduced the Invest to Protect Act, which passed the House, to help small departments recruit, retain, and support their officers. He also helped pass the Social Security Fairness Act, repealing the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) penalties, and secured full funding for the World Trade Center Health Program for the life of the program. Gottheimer was joined by Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco, State Senator Gordon Johnson (LD 37), Chief Marc Metzinger of Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, Underchief Avenatti of the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office, Captain Clayton Arnott of the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office, Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of Detectives Jeff Angermeyer, Sussex County Prosecutor Dan Perez, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia Valdes, Lieutenant Kyle Phlegar of the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office, Bergen County Office of Emergency Services’ Stuart Blank, Detective Cassidy Egan of the New Jersey State Troopers Fraternal Association, Mr. Michael Basti of the New Jersey State Troopers Fraternal Association, 2nd Vice President Cesar Morales of Port Authority Police Benevolent Association, Treasurer Steve Ekizian of Port Authority Police Benevolent Association, Treasurer Matthew Reheis of Port Authority Lieutenant’s Benevolent Association, Bergenfield Fire Chief Ryan Zadrozna, Bergenfield Firefighter Jeremy Donch, Cresskill Fire Chief James Lyons, Demarest Fire Chief John McLoughlin, Hackensack Fire Chief Keith Rosazza, Harrington Park Fire Chief Jesse Barragato, Montvale Fire Chief Geoffrey Gibbons, Northvale Fire Department’s Lieutenant Edward Witkowski, Ridgewood Fire Chief John Judge, Oradell Police Chief David Gangemi, Palisades Park Police Chief George Beck, Palisades Park Police Director Michael Gardner, Palisades Park Police Sergeant Chris Sambogna, Palisades Park Police Officer Sangwon Bob Lee, Ridgewood Police Chief Forest Lyons, Bloomingdale Police Chief Daniel Greenwood, Bloomingdale Business Administrator Michael Sondermeyer, Teaneck Fire Department Chief Joseph Berchtold, Allendale Police Chief Michael Dillon, Englewood Cliffs Police Chief William Henkelman, Detective Sergeant Matthew Ferraro of the Ringwood Police Department, Ramsey Police Department’s Lieutenant Anthony Fiore, Fair Lawn Police Chi