11-22-15 BODY RECOVERY

(Rappel teams and investigators at the scene of the body recovery in State Line Lookout).

On Saturday November 21st, 2015 at approximately 2000hrs P.O. RichardDey #359 observed a vehicle parked after closingin the State Line Lookout.  (State Line Lookout is located along the northbound side of the Palisades Interstate Parkway in the Alpine NJ Section.).  P.O. Dey observed the vehicle earlier in his shift and began to check for the wearabouts of the occupant(s).  Additional units responded to assist searching as well as begin an investigation into the background of the vehicle’s owner.

As several officers searched the State Line Lookout trails, assistance was requested from Westchester County Police for their aviation unit.  Shortly thereafter, aviation scanned the area above and below the cliffs iwth FLIR and Thermal imaging with negative results.  Due to the weather conditions and extreme darkness, additional searches became unsafe.  During the investigation, it was determined that the vehicle’s owner had returned to State Line Lookout from being there earlier in the day and was then unheard from again.

At 0700hrs, Dlt. Roman Galloza #345 and multiple officers began an additional area canvas.  Shortly thereafter, P.O. Jeffrey Lamboy #384 and PIP Trail Crew Supervisor Christina Fehre located a deceased victim below the cliffs approximately mid-span in relation to the parking lot.  It was evident that the victim had come from the top of the cliff an approximately 320 foot distance.

The Reginal Rappel Response was put into place and members from Closter, Englewood Cliffs, and East Bergen responded.  The victim was later recovered and positively identified as Mr. John Norton, a 35 year old male from Palisades Park NJ.  P.O. J. Lamboy received a minor knee injury and no other injuries were reported.  The investigation concluded a short time thereafter and proved that there were no suspicious circumstances involved with Mr. Norton’s death.  At this time, it has been determined that Mr. Norton’s death was caused by no other actions other than his own.