New initiative to draw members from wide swath of interests in Haddonfield
At the annual Mayor’s Breakfast on Jan. 19 at First Presbyterian Church, Mayor Neal Rochford revealed the eventual creation of a new policing committee that will exist as a partnership between schools, police and community intended to share information and discuss community concerns.
The committee, he said, is expected to be comprised of one police officer, a school board member, a Partnership for Haddonfield member, a local business member, two residents, a council of churches member, a neighborhood watch member and a Civic Association member.
“I am excited to get some community input from the people we serve, we want to create a partnership between the community and the police department. Any time we can have an open dialogue with our community to discuss their needs is a win,” said Haddonfield Police Chief Jason Cutler.
Since then, the borough has solicited interest for volunteers to fill three open spots: one business member not already part of the Partnership for Haddonfield as well as two resident members.
According to borough administrator Sharon McCullough, at this juncture, the organizations that would have positions on the committee have been named, but the representatives of the other five entities have not. The borough, she said, is currently involved in the process of reaching out to those organizations to have them provide the name of the individual they would like on the committee.
Once the full committee is put together the names will be publicized.
It is the second in a series of greater planned interactions between the adult community and its police force. “Chief’s Corner,” where Cutler will meet at a local business during normal business hours to hear concerns of the public, had its first confab on Jan. 29.
“Chief Cutler is looking forward to a more structured citizen sounding board with our police department. Transparency and open dialogue will help the police department with an ongoing effort to provide superior police services to the residents of Haddonfield,” said Rochford.
The committee is expected to meet once a month, beginning at in March.
“I would like to thank our police for the many, many initiatives that continue, such as police-community day, the police in school program and the outreach program started by Jason,” Rochford added.
If a borough resident or business owner is interested in serving on the Community Policing Committee, they are advised to contact borough administrator McCullough at smccullough@haddonfield-nj.gov.
