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Plainfield mayor proclaims EMS and Police Weeks and issues statement on Ras Baraka arrest
Summary
Mayor Adrian O'Mapp read proclamations recognizing Emergency Medical Services Week and National Police Week and issued a statement criticizing the detention of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka by ICE on May 9, 2025; police and EMS partners noted training and recruitment opportunities.
Mayor Adrian O'Mapp used his remarks at the May 12 Plainfield council meeting to read two proclamations and comment on a high‑profile arrest in neighboring Newark.
On emergency medical services, the mayor praised partnerships with Union County and JFK that staff said helped restore EMS coverage and reduce response times into the six‑minute range regularly, under the NFPA nine‑minute benchmark. In a reading of the proclamation he designated May 18–24, 2025 as Emergency Medical Services Week in Plainfield and urged residents to support local EMS providers. A JFK/Union County representative said their EMS training center in Edison offers a six‑week EMT initial training course and encouraged interested residents to consider training opportunities.
The mayor also read a proclamation responding to the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on May 9, 2025. In the proclamation the mayor characterized the detention as troubling for civil liberties and said Plainfield stands in solidarity with Mayor Baraka; the proclamation noted Baraka was released the same evening. The mayor said the city will continue to defend constitutional rights and called on residents to recognize the broader implications of such detentions.
Finally, the mayor introduced a National Police and Peace Officers Memorial Week proclamation to honor fallen officers and to recognize the Plainfield Police Department’s service. The police director listed four fallen Plainfield officers by name and encouraged community‑police relations efforts.
Each proclamation was read on the record and included an opportunity for partner agencies and staff to describe training, recruitment or community outreach opportunities.
