| Mahwah Municipal Alliance Background |
| The Mahwah Municipal Alliance was established in 1985 as the Mahwah DARE Alliance under the leadership of then Mahwah Police Chief Samuel Alderisio. Chief Alderiso’s vision was to bring D.A.R.E. (a nationally recognized program centered on Drug Abuse Resistance Education) into Grades 5, 7 and 10 by using trained, experienced police officers. The intention was to provide age appropriate teaching about tobacco, drug and alcohol abuse, avoiding violence as a means of conflict resolution, building self-esteem, and showing the consequences of positive decision making. In addition, the effort was designed to show law enforcement in positive roles. Since its inception, thousands of Mahwah children have participated and successfully interacted with dedicated officers of the Mahwah Police Department. Today, the Mahwah D.A.R.E. Program is a staple of Mahwah’s public school curriculum.
The local involvement of police with schools inspired additional efforts. The D.A.R.E. Alliance grew to support athletic leagues such as Street Hockey and Roller Hockey and Basketball, Safety Programs for school children, and the Junior Police Academy – a 2-week coeducational summer camp based on the principals of respect, discipline and honesty. All of these efforts relied heavily upon the use of police officers to teach, coach and coordinate.
In August 2006, Chief James Batelli restructured the Alliance to bring broader community involvement. As a result, it is now known as the Mahwah Municipal Alliance, administered by a refreshed Board focused on a new MMA core purpose: to help the youth of Mahwah become great decision makers.
Currently, the MMA works to achieve this purpose by finding ways to inspire children to exercise personal courage, be physically active and be attentive to general safety. |
