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Police/Fire/EMS

Ramapo Police Warn of Orange & Rockland Utilities Gift Card Scam

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RAMAPO, N.Y. — The Ramapo Police Department is warning residents about a phone scam in which callers pose as representatives from Orange & Rockland Utilities and pressure victims into making immediate payments.

Police say they have received multiple reports over the past week from residents who were contacted by scammers claiming there was an overdue utility bill on their account. The callers allegedly demanded payment using gift cards and warned that electric or gas service would be shut off if payment was not made right away.

Authorities emphasized that these claims are false.

Orange & Rockland Utilities does not demand payment through gift cards, nor does the company threaten immediate service shutoffs during unsolicited phone calls, officials said.

Residents who receive suspicious calls are advised to hang up and verify the status of their account by contacting the utility company directly using the official phone number listed on their bill or on the company’s website.

Police expressed concern that scammers are exploiting cold weather conditions and using fear to pressure residents into acting quickly. Officials urged residents to remain alert and to share the warning with family members, neighbors, and vulnerable individuals, including seniors.

Anyone who believes they may have been targeted or victimized by this scam is encouraged to report the incident to the Ramapo Police Department or your local police department.

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Police/Fire/EMS

Ramapo Police Halt Test of Advanced License Plate Reader Cameras

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Ramapo Police Chief Daniel Hyman announced that the department will not move forward with a planned test of a new generation of automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras, citing privacy concerns and the need to balance law enforcement technology with constitutional protections.

Hyman said the technology being considered goes beyond the department’s existing fixed license plate readers. While current cameras primarily capture license plates to help identify wanted or stolen vehicles and assist with criminal investigations, the newer systems include advanced investigative analytics and vehicle-identification capabilities.

“Those capabilities can provide tremendous value to law enforcement, but they also raise legitimate questions about privacy and the appropriate limits of government technology,” Hyman said.

Hyman emphasized that the decision does not affect the traditional fixed LPR cameras currently used by the Ramapo Police Department and does not represent a rejection of license plate reader technology overall.

Instead, he said the department is exercising caution because of the expanded capabilities of the newer systems.

“Our responsibility is to protect both” public safety and constitutional protections, Hyman said.

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Police/Fire/EMS

Two Hospitalized After Crash on Kings Highway in Valley Cottage

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Emergency crews responded to a motor vehicle collision Sunday morning on Kings Highway, where two people were transported to the hospital.

Medic 5, RPS 8, Congers-Valley Cottage Ambulance and the Valley Cottage Fire Department responded to the scene.

Two patients were transported to Montefiore Nyack Hospital in stable condition.

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