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For the past few weeks, Burlington County Sheriff's officers have been patrolling the streets of towns served by NJ Transit's River Line, from Palmyra to Bordentown, as part of a partnership between the municipalities, the Sheriff's Office and NJ Transit Police to actively protect neighborhoods near the light rail.
Shaun Lafferty, police chief for the city of Bordentown and president of the Burlington County Association of Police Chiefs, said the association's board shares concerns about an increase in incidents in River Line communities.
“Senator. [Troy] Singleton and Asw. [Andrea] Katz has listened to stakeholders’ concerns and made a serious commitment to investing in improving the quality of life and safety in our River Line communities,” he said.
Singleton was on hand for Monday's announcement to present a ceremonial check for $150,000 to the Burlington County Sheriff's Office. The money, secured through this year's state budget, will be used to cover overtime costs for officers assigned special assignments patrolling neighborhoods around the River Line.
County Sheriff James Kostoplis hopes the money will last about a year.
“We have to adapt to developments,” he said. “We meet with the bosses and they inform us about the trends. Then we will adapt according to developments.”
