Cliffside Park Borough

Summary

Cliffside Park Borough, Bergen County, State ID NJ33, reports receiving 267,740.71 in opioid settlement money from 2022 through 06/30/2026. The money must go to the abatement uses the national settlements list, or to documented evidence-based programs that address the epidemic. It must add to local spending, not replace it.

The Borough's four reports to the Department of Human Services certify 124,403.48 spent through 06/30/2026. Of that, 97,616.40 is a police dog. The rest is 11,467.08 of presentations to high school students and seniors in FY2024 and 15,320.00 of speakers at the Senior Center in FY2025.

This project cannot test those figures against the books. The Borough has not produced a transaction ledger for its settlement accounts. Its reports also do not agree with one another on how much money is left.

What the Borough received

Each cumulative figure equals the year before plus the year's receipts. Every report certifies 0.00 of interest.

What it told the State

The FY2023 report describes one planned program, the Cliffside Park Opioid Awareness Program, at 45,628.88, with an estimated launch of 12/1/23. Its goals are education, health educators and a digital health marketing campaign for physicians. The strategic plan filed with it, prepared by the Mid Bergen Regional Health Commission, lists naloxone kits, fentanyl test strips, harm reduction supplies and health education.

The FY2024 report lists one program, Opioids Settlement, described as a "Presentation to HS students and Senior Citizen regarding effects of opioid use." It reports 3 training sessions, 11,467.08 spent and 127,154.40 encumbered.

The FY2025 report lists two programs. Consulting paid 15,320.00 for speakers at the Senior Center. The K9 Program reports 96,613.23 funded, 53,925.70 spent and 42,687.53 encumbered.

The FY2026 report lists one program, Canine, at 43,690.70 spent. It names the officials who decided the spending as the Chief of Police and the EMS Director.

The dog

The FY2025 report names the problem the K9 Program addresses as "Drug Awareness and Enforcement." Its description is one word, K9. Its statement of impact is "Enforcement for opioid possession and distribution. Deterrent." It says the dog "will be for deterrence and enforcement." It reports 1 participant served. It files the program as Harm Reduction and Overdose Prevention.

Exhibit E's harm reduction category covers naloxone, overdose response education, syringe services, testing and mobile harm reduction units. The report also names the Schedule B strategy for criminal justice-involved persons. That strategy covers diversion, treatment and recovery services for people with opioid use disorder in the justice system. No listed use covers a police enforcement dog. Certified a police enforcement dog as harm reduction.

The FY2026 report does not update the K9 Program. It reports a new program, Canine, funded and launched 7/1/2025. The problem it addresses is "Enforcement." Its key performance indicator is "Increase visible enforcement." It reports 27,000 individuals served. It files the canine as Primary Prevention, Education, and Training and lists Enforcement as its other category. The report's goals for the year include "Utilize the canine obtained with the funds." Certified 43,690.70 of police canine as prevention.

Both years say the dog was bought on State Contract. No contract, purchase order, invoice or resolution for it has been produced.

What the reports say is left

Each report states the settlement money the Borough has on hand. None of them follows from the Borough's own receipts and spending.

The FY2024 on hand figure is the encumbered figure repeated. The gap equals the 45,628.88 received through 06/30/2023. FY2024 on hand figure is 45,628.88 below its own math.

The FY2025 figure is 15,982.88. Setting aside the 17,540.30 the report certifies as encumbered still leaves 131,443.86. FY2025 on hand figure is 133,001.28 below its own math.

The FY2026 figure is 126,300.73. From 15,982.88, a year in which the Borough received 38,043.77 and spent 43,690.70 leaves 10,335.95. The FY2026 report puts the balance 110,317.85 higher. FY2026 on hand figure is 17,036.50 below its own math.

The FY2025 report also disagrees with itself on what is committed. It certifies 17,540.30 encumbered. Its K9 Program alone reports 42,687.53 encumbered. FY2025 encumbered total leaves out 25,147.23 of K9 money.

What the records show

The Borough's records production of 06/16/2026 is four pages printed 06/08/2026. Two are Monthly Summary Reports and two are Budget Status Reports for its National Opioid accounts.

• Account 01-1170-26-5542, National Opiod 26, shows 317.00 in January for the range 01/01/2022 to 12/31/2026.
• Account 01-2140-26-0070, Res Opiods, shows 3,665.49 in April and 316.57 in October, 3,982.06 in all, for the same range.
• Appropriated grant reserve 23-8786, National Opiod, shows a budget of 53,600.29, all of it paid or charged.
• Grant reserve 26-5542, National Opiod 26, shows a budget of 317.00 with nothing paid and 317.00 unexpended.

The monthly reports pool every year from 2022 through 2026 into twelve month columns. None of the pages shows a date, payee, check or purchase order. The 53,600.29 charged to reserve 23-8786 does not match any figure in the reports. The reports certify 124,403.48 spent. The Borough has not produced a ledger that shows where that money went, and one is owed before its spending can be tested.