Hasbrouck Heights Borough
Hasbrouck Heights Borough certified a Dave and Buster's night, L.E.A.D. shirts, cleaning supplies, defibrillators and trauma kits to the State as officer training and overdose prevention, and three of its reports put less money on hand than their own figures leave.
Published 10/03/2026
TLDR
- The Borough certified a 3,598.80 night at Dave and Buster's, 2,057.00 of L.E.A.D. graduation shirts and Lysol and Purell as officer awareness training and medical kits. 6,569.93 in all.
- It certified 8,197.28 of defibrillators, trauma kits and band-aids as overdose prevention. The finding.
- Its FY2026 program was funded 01/01/2026. The report still counts 2,884.04 the account paid in 2025. The finding.
- The FY2026 report puts 5,594.78 less on hand than its own figures leave. FY2024 and FY2025 did the same. The finding.
- 3,500.00 of 26,878.86 paid went to a plainly listed use, Narcan training and an opioid awareness payment.
Summary
Hasbrouck Heights Borough, Bergen County, reports receiving 80,778.21 in opioid settlement money through 06/30/2026, interest included. 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 produced one account, 02-0000-0000-0228-2-20400, Opioid Settlement Funds, in three budget year pages printed 06/01/2026. The account paid 26,878.86 from 01/09/2024 to 06/01/2026. It shows 1,130.13 open on 06/01/2026, with no order detail. Read the Borough's record.
This project classifies the 26,878.86 this way.
| Classification | Amount |
|---|---|
| Conforming | 3,500.00 |
| Non-conforming | 14,767.21 |
| Unverified | 8,611.65 |
| Paid through 06/01/2026 | 26,878.86 |
The FY2024 and FY2025 expended figures match the books to the cent. What the reports say the money was for does not. This project has published six findings.
- Certified a Dave and Buster's night as officer training, 6,569.93
- Certified AEDs and trauma kits as overdose prevention, 8,197.28
- Program funded 01/01/2026 counts 2,884.04 paid in 2025, 2,884.04
- Reported 5,594.78 less on hand than its own figures leave, 5,594.78
- FY2024 on hand figure leaves out 2,271.97 of interest, 2,271.97
- FY2025 report put 2,259.36 less on hand than it showed, 2,259.36
What the Borough told the State
The State's reporting year runs 07/01 to 06/30.
FY2023. The Borough reported 15,172.54 received and 0.00 expended as of 06/30/2023. Its goal was to support first responders and promote prevention. The account's first payment is dated 01/09/2024.
FY2024. The Borough certified 30,266.71 received in the year, 2,271.97 in interest, 47,711.22 received since 2022 and 9,443.26 expended. It certified 0.00 encumbered and 35,995.99 unspent on hand. It reported one program, Officer Awareness and Medical Response, funded at 16,500.00. The program text reads "funding for first responder mental health & drug abuse awareness training as well as funding for medical kits and supplies for first responder vehicles to aid victims."
FY2025. The Borough certified 17,227.97 received, 2,068.65 in interest, 64,735.87 received since 2022 and 4,279.59 expended. It certified 0.00 encumbered and 48,753.66 on hand. It reported the same program again, funded at 15,000.00. The 64,735.87 total leaves out the 2,271.97 of FY2024 interest the prior report counted.
FY2026. The State published the Borough's FY2026 report on 10/01/2026. It certifies 12,016.21 received, 1,754.16 in interest, 80,778.21 received since 2022, 14,038.16 expended, 247.98 encumbered and 47,174.44 on hand. The 80,778.21 restores the FY2024 interest. The same program is reported a third time, funded 1/1/2026 at 18,000.00. The report adds that the Borough holds a Junior Police Academy with a formal graduation ceremony.
What the books show
| Year | Certified expended | Paid in the window | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2023 | 0.00 | 0.00 | Agree |
| FY2024 | 9,443.26 | 9,443.26 | Agree to the cent |
| FY2025 | 4,279.59 | 4,279.59 | Agree to the cent |
| FY2026 | 14,038.16 | 13,156.01 to 06/01/2026 | June not produced |
The FY2026 difference is 882.15. Add the 247.98 the report certifies as encumbered and the total is 1,130.13, the balance open on 06/01/2026. That fits June payments on the open orders. The Borough has not produced June.
The FY2026 report gives 1/1/2026 as the date its one program was funded and launched. The account paid 10,271.97 in 2026 through 05/26/2026. Even with every open order paid in June, the program could have spent no more than 11,402.10 after that date. The certified 14,038.16 counts 2,884.04 paid from 07/15/2025 to 11/25/2025. The finding.
What the money bought
FY2024 paid Safeguard US Operating 5,182.68 for micro trauma kits and 3,240.58 for medical supplies. It paid 220.00 for a sharps container and 800.00 to an individual for two patrolmen, with no further description.
FY2025 paid 2,812.90 for a Defibtech AED, its battery and adult defibrillator pads. It paid 770.00 to the NJ State Elks Association for peer leadership, 196.69 for band-aids and wipes, and 500.00 to Children's Aid and Family Services for Narcan training.
FY2026, through 06/01/2026, paid the following.
| Payee | Purchase | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Dave and Buster's of New Jersey | L.E.A.D. night out | 3,598.80 |
| An individual | (1) Opioid Awareness | 3,000.00 |
| JCM Associates | L.E.A.D. graduation shirts | 2,057.00 |
| NJ State Elks Association | Peer leadership | 1,840.00 |
| V. E. Ralph and Son | EMT AirPac and an order by item code | 1,312.48 |
| W.B. Mason | Lysol, Purell, sanitizers and wipes | 764.19 |
| Witmer Public Safety Group | Clear Gear spray, a bottle and freight | 192.26 |
| Lifesavers, Inc. | Defibtech battery | 154.95 |
| Individuals | CPR e-cards and reimbursements | 149.33 |
| Amazon | 9V lithium batteries | 87.00 |
| Paid | 13,156.01 |
Each report files all of this under Officer Awareness and Medical Response. The program text promises first responder training and medical kits for first responder vehicles. Its primary category is Primary Prevention, Education, and Training, with Harm Reduction and Overdose Prevention second.
Defibrillators, trauma kits, band-aids and cleaning supplies are not among the uses Exhibit E lists. No overdose program using this equipment is documented. The finding. No listed use covers an arcade outing, graduation shirts or cleaning supplies, and none of them is training or a medical kit. The finding.
The opioid awareness payment carries opioid content in its order text. The Elks program and the other medical supplies may serve a listed use, but the record does not show what they covered.
The balance on hand
The FY2026 report states 47,174.44 unspent and uncommitted on hand. The report's own figures, 80,778.21 received less 27,761.01 certified spent over four years and 247.98 encumbered, leave 52,769.22. The books give the same 52,769.22. The certified figure is 5,594.78 lower. The finding.
The FY2024 report states 35,995.99 on hand. Its own figures leave 38,267.96. The difference is 2,271.97, the interest the same page reports. The finding.
The FY2025 report states 48,753.66 on hand. Its own figures leave 51,013.02, a gap of 2,259.36. Its received total also drops the FY2024 interest. The finding.
How this project classifies spending is set out in the methodology and the rubric. Corrections follow the corrections policy.