Another bittersweet event is on the horizon and one I will certainly miss as we approach the end of my tenure as mayor.
With an Executive Order awaiting my signature declaring August 4-10, 2025 “Police Appreciation Week” in Robbinsville Township, it is yet another reminder to support our law enforcement community, both here and across the nation.
These men and women continue to face enormous challenges, and we choose this week to honor law enforcement because it corresponds with one of my favorite events of the year —“National Night Out” — on Tuesday, August 5 at RTPD Headquarters from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Celebrating its 42nd anniversary, “National Night Out” is an annual community-building campaign that began in 1984 to promote police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live.
Spearheaded for the first time by new Police Chief William Swanhart III, NNO provides a unique and wonderful opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances.
There will be food, games, refreshments, amusements, music, fire department demonstrations, tours and plenty of vendors.
Robbinsville will continue to invest in the only facility in New Jersey teaching shoot/do not shoot de-escalation techniques because we want the best-trained officers in order to avoid worst-case outcomes.
As Director of Public Safety, I have no problem declaring our community policing efforts among the best in all the state. Those include: “Breakfast with a Cop,” “Cocca With a Cop,” and “Cone with a Cop” sessions, the C.A.R.E. program, Ice Cream and Valentine chocolate rewards programs, another outstanding L.E.A.D. (Law Enforcement Against Drugs) graduating class, the ultra-successful Youth Police Academy, as well as the S.A.F.E. (Secure Awareness for First Encounters) registry to help officers interact with members of the community who have autism or other communication disabilities.
How extensive are these efforts? A staggering 75 of the 129-page RTPD Annual Report from 2024 is dedicated to Community Policing.
For more information on our NNO event, or to reserve a table, contact Lt. Tom Egan at tegan@robbinsville.net. We hope to see you there!
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Congratulations to Sgt James Moore, who officially retired from the RTPD force on July 1 after 25 years on the force. Sgt. Moore said he kept his promise to former Chief Krych that he would work in Robbinsville/Washington Township for his full 25 years. Promise kept.
Thank you for your loyal service, Sgt. Moore.
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If you have not yet had the opportunity, do yourself a favor and check out our Farmers’ Market, located at the Miry Run Recreation Area (66 Sharon Road), each Tuesday from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. through the month of September. Hope Neis and our Recreation Division have done another fantastic job turning our market into a weekly destination event!
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If you have not yet purchased tickets for our final “Pay if Forward” event October 14 at The Stone Terrace by John Henry’s, there is no time like the present!
This year’s event to benefit the wonderful Papp/Walls Family of Robbinsville will be special in many ways, and we cannot wait to make their home renovation dreams to accommodate four young children come true. For tickets or sponsorship opportunities, contact Jodi Stephens at jstephens@robbinsville.net.
Dave Fried is the mayor of Robbinsville Township.
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