Sealed Air's tiff with local cops

I imagine that Sealed Air Corp.'s headquarters is a place where people are constantly making delightful popping sounds -- the sound of Bubble Wrap being punctured, crushed, squeezed and stepped upon. After all, Bubble Wrap is a Sealed Air product.

But there's an odd story in the news today about another sort of popping sound at Sealed Air -- the sound of gunfire from a nearby police training range.

The story, from the Bergen County, N.J., Record, says the company has asked the mayor and council in Elmwood Park, N.J., to make some changes to minimize the sound of gunfire from the range at Sealed Air's headquarters.

Sealed Air sent the letter to the borough last month, complaining that the sound of gunfire is especially pronounced in work areas and meeting rooms on the north and west sides of the building.

The company, which moved its corporate headquarters from Saddle Brook to Riverfront Boulevard in Elmwood Park last year, asked the mayor and council to consider adjusting officers' training schedules and provide additional sound insulation for the range on nearby Slater Drive.

"This noise has been disruptive and disquieting to many of our employees," Margaret Frontera, public affairs manager for Sealed Air, wrote in the letter. Frontera could not be reached for additional comment Friday.

[Police Chief Don] Ingrasselino has fired back with his own letter, arguing that the police training facility, which includes a firing range, was in that location long before Sealed Air moved in. The chief said noise concerns should have been addressed during the construction phase of the project.

"Police officers have trained at that location for over 55 years without incurring any noise complaints until now," Ingrasselino wrote.

Other news media have picked up the Record's story, including USA Today, which has a blog item about the dispute on its Web site today.

I imagine the company and police will work out this problem -- but until they do, I suggest the Sealed Air folks watch their speedometers and avoid rolling stops on the streets around the new HQ!