The above photo (left to right) depicts Lacey Police Detective Charles May (SRO), Lacey Police Detective Sam Della Sala, Past State President Richard Bard (Lacey Elks), Police Chief Michael C. DiBella, Exalted Ruler Don Tonachio (Lacey Elks) and Past Exalted Ruler JoAnn Crossley (Lacey Elks), after they (Lacey Elks) presented the Lacey Police Department with a donation of two ballistic shields, during  the January 11th, 2018 Lacey Township Meeting.

 

On the evening of Thursday, January 12, 2018, the Lacey Elks made a donation to the Lacey Township Police Department during the regularly scheduled Township Meeting. Members of the Lacey Elks, including Exalted Ruler Don Tonachio, Past State President Richard Bard, and Past Exalted Ruler Joann Crossley, presented Chief Michael C. DiBella and his detectives, two (2) Ballistic Shields that will be utilized by the Lacey Police Narcotics Unit when conducting search warrants. In 2017 the Lacey Township Police Department made approximately 175 illegal drug arrests and conducted more than a dozen search warrants. At the forefront, ensuring that my officers are protected and go home safely to their families is most important to me at the end of the day.  Having access to additional ballistic shields takes us one step closer.

Since becoming the Chief of Police, decreasing the Heroin Epidemic has been and will continue to be my number one priority.  The Heroin epidemic is a serious problem across the entire country. In comparison to other towns are size, Lacey Township does not have a larger problem with heroin than anyone else.  However, Lacey Township’s name comes up a lot because we are doing everything we can here to minimize the problem.

In July 2016, the Lacey Township Police department created a 5-prong approach to decreasing the heroin epidemic. This includes Enforcement, Education and Prevention, Treatment and Recovery. Since 2016, the Lacey Township Police Department began its first ever narcotics unit and in 2017 we began instructing the L.E.A.D (Law Enforcement Against Drugs) program for our 6th grade students at the Mill Pond School. In addition we have partnered with the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Blue Hart program, Young People in Recovery of Ocean County (YPR) and most recently assigned our first ever School Resource Officer at the High School. Moving forward the Lacey Township Police Department will continue to do everything we can to help decrease this epidemic.

I would like to personally thank the Lacey Elks for their generous donation, it will certainly go a long way. Additionally, I would like to thank every single person, organization, etc, that has helped us in one way or another to meet our department priorities.

Thank you.

-Chief Michael C. DiBella