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Chief Paprota with (from left) Officer Ricciardella, Lieutenant Kenny, Lieutenant Ganley, and Sergeant Flynn at the Cedar Creek Elementary School.

Department News – Chief Paprota and representatives from the Lacey Township Police Department are visiting five Lacey Township schools (K-8) this week to hold “kick-off” assemblies with the students to introduce the 2016 COP Card Collectible Program. Assemblies were held in the Middle School and Cedar Creek School this morning (Tuesday, March 22, 2016), while the Mill Pond School was visited yesterday. Assemblies are scheduled for the Lanoka Harbor School and the Forked River School on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. During the assemblies, the police department representatives discussed each component of the program, including the collection of cards through local business (sponsors), completion of the COP Card Checklist, Meet-the-Officer Day (5/21/16), and the prize assemblies that will be held separately in each school. Those students who collect all 72 cards and submit their checklists, will be entered into raffles in each school and will have the opportunity to win  great prizes. The prize ceremonies are being scheduled for the end of the school year. Prizes will include: bicycles and helmets, IPads, IPods, headphones, gift cards, ITunes cards, and more.

The program will officially begin on Monday, March 28, 2016, after the cards have been distributed to the locations of the sponsors. That process will not be completed until later this week for the Monday start. Each participant will need to complete the COP Card Checklist and have it verified by either a teacher or a police officer. The completed checklists will be used for the raffles held separately at each school during the last weeks of the school year. There is plenty of time to collect all of the cards, as the program will run from Monday, March 28, 2016, through to the last two weeks of school in June.

The “Meet-the-Officer Day” event is scheduled for Saturday, May 21, 2016, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and will include music, games, dancing, food, prizes/giveaways, and maybe even a dunk tank. It is a day for children to come out and spend time with the staff of the police department in a very positive and fun environment.