RELEASE: Gottheimer Claws Back $1.2 Million in Federal Dollars for Public Safety in Passaic County

Resources / Press Share on RELEASE: Gottheimer Claws Back $1.2 Million in Federal Dollars for Public Safety in Passaic County Oct 19, 2026 Press Above: Gottheimer Announces $1.2 Million in Federal Dollars for Public Safety in Passaic County. BLOOMINGDALE, NJ — Today, October 19, 2026, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) announced that he successfully clawed back $1.2 million in new federal Homeland Security funding from Washington for Passaic County first responders, helping upgrade emergency communications, expand counterterrorism training, and strengthen public safety while delivering real tax relief for local families. “When something goes wrong, the people who show up are the people standing right here. Today, I am proud to announce that we have clawed back $1.2 million in federal Homeland Security funding from Washington for Passaic County first responders, families, and towns. It shouldn’t be a fundraiser or a bake sale that decides whether a department can afford a working radio. I will always get the backs of our law enforcement, our firefighters, and our first responders,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), Co-Chair of the Law Enforcement Caucus and member of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus. Video of Gottheimer’s announcement can be found here . The federal investment Gottheimer secured will replace aging equipment and move Bloomingdale, Ringwood, Wanaque, and West Milford onto one interoperable communications standard, so police, fire, and EMS can communicate clearly and seamlessly across town lines when seconds matter most. By clawing back federal dollars to North Jersey communities and first responders, Gottheimer is helping lift high costs off local budgets, reducing the burden on Passaic County taxpayers to pay for essential public safety equipment and helping lower property taxes for local families. The funding will be used as follows: Bloomingdale First Responders, $400,000 (including the $100,000 announced in September): Response drones, active-threat gear such as ballistic shields, armor, and breaching kits, and communications equipment upgrades. Ringwood First Responders, $300,000: A radio system upgrade, including new mobile radios in first-responder vehicles. Wanaque First Responders, $300,000: Upgrades to interoperable radio systems, strengthening communications between the department, dispatch, and surrounding towns. West Milford First Responders, $200,000: Radio communications upgrades. Each department will also use part of its award for counterterrorism and other response training. This investment builds on Gottheimer’s years-long work to claw more federal dollars back to North Jersey from Washington. This year alone, he has secured roughly $21 million in Homeland Security grant funding across Bergen, Passaic, and Sussex Counties for law enforcement, first responders, and the houses of worship and nonprofits that need protection. Since 2017, he has clawed back more than $17 million in COPS grants for police departments across the Fifth District, including $2.9 million for upgraded first responder radio systems in West Milford in 2023 and $750,000 for new officers in West Milford in 2024. Since coming to Congress, Gottheimer has helped increase the return of federal funds to the Fifth District by more than 357%, delivering an average savings of about $750 for each household in the Fifth District. Gottheimer was joined by Bloomingdale Mayor John D’Amato, Bloomingdale Police Chief Daniel Greenwood, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia Valdes, Passaic County Sheriff Thomas Adamo, Passaic County Commissioner Nicholas Veliky, Bloomingdale Councilman David Bronkhurst, Bloomingdale Fire Chief Frank Neuberger, Ringwood Police Chief Ronald Porta, Wanaque Mayor Dan Mahler, Wanaque Councilman Ed Leonard, Wanaque Police Chief Keith Spillane, West Milford Mayor Michelle Dale, West Milford Sgt. Anthony Frassa, Ringwood Councilwoman Yvonne Echols, local first responders, and community leaders. Below: Gottheimer Announces $1.2 Million in Federal Dollars for Public Safety in Passaic County. Gottheimer remarks as prepared for delivery: Good morning, everyone. It’s great to be here in Bloomingdale, in beautiful Passaic County. First, I want to start by thanking the hardworking people standing here with us today. Jersey’s finest. Our local police departments. Our Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office. Our Passaic County Sheriff’s Office. Everyone who answers the call, who stands in harm’s way, no matter the hour. Every single day, rain or shine, late nights, early mornings, weekends, holidays, you put on the uniform, and you answer the call without hesitation. You put yourselves in harm’s way to keep our families and communities safe. You get our backs. And I want you to know, as ever, that I’ll always get yours. Here in northern Passaic County, you cover a lot of ground. Long stretches of road. You roll up on a call at two in the morning, not knowing what’s on the other side of that door. Yo