The Toms River Police Department held their monthly Neighborhood Watch meeting at 7 p.m. at the police station on Oak Avenue.

The meeting was held by Sergeant Bachonski, Sergeant Austin, Media Relations Specialist Jillian Messina and Dispatcher Maggie Russell.

The Neighborhood Watch room is currently under renovation.

Bachonski began with a recap last month’s presentations on the deadliness of heroin, how it is packaged and sold, as well as Messina’s presentation on false public alarm through social media outlets.


According to Bachonski, 123 people were stopped in March for driving with a suspended driver’s license. It was the leading NJ statute written by TRPD.

National Public Safety Telecommunications Week is every year on the second week of April. Its sole function to recognize the men and women who dedicate their lives to public service. Austin delivered the presentation alongside Russell.

“Dispatchers are the foundation of this police station,” Austin said. “They are our unsung heroes and the calm voice in the dark.”

During shift overlap dispatchers can have anywhere between 40 and 50 officers to account for. Washout from dispatcher training is an estimated 80 percent because of the emotional and mental strain one endures.

Over the course of 30 days, 16,495 phone calls were handled. All of them are recorded and saved for 30 days. After the 30 days expire, the records are wiped and this is an action required by law.

Another tool on the horizon for the TRPD is called 911Eye. A dispatcher would send a text or email and a secure “one time use” live video is enabled. The video lets the dispatcher view any crime scene from domestic issues to car accidents.

TRPD officers competed in the 2019 Snow Bowl on March 15-17 at MetLife Stadium. The event is hosted by the New York Giants to benefit the Special Olympics at MetLife Stadium. The officers have been participating for five years now and this year raised over $2,400.

The Toms River Police Department will be hosting the 2019 Junior Summer Camp on July 15-19 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Applicants must be Toms River residents and in grades 6, 7 and 8. The deadline for application is July 1.

Campers will ride in police cars, handle specialized police equipment, learn self-defense and physical wellness. They will also be exposed to the motorcycle pool, EMS, ESU and fire suppression vehicles, as well as an obstacle course. Applicants will also get to take part in a field trip to the Ortley Beach Lifeguard station.

The application can be found here.

For further information: 2019 Junior Summer Camp.

The next Neighborhood Watch meeting will be on May 2 at 7 p.m. No meetings will be held in July or August.