The above photo depicts (in no particular order) members from the Lacey Township Police Department and the Lanoka Harbor EMS, during the 2020 No Shave November Keep it Local “Before Photo.” 

 

Each November, since 2016, the members of the Lacey Township Police Department have broken protocol for a good cause.  We have, in a joint effort with members of our Township’s Emergency Services, participated in the national “No-Shave November” campaign.  During our four years, we have successfully raised over $21,000.  These funds were disseminated through various cancer charities including, Prevent Cancer Foundation, Fight Colorectal Cancer, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as directed by the No-Shave November campaign.  This year, the members of the Lacey Township Police Department will once again be breaking protocol in the No Shave way, to help one of our own community leaders who has recently passed away.

All of our donations raised this year will be forwarded to the family of Chief John Szafranski III of the Lanoka Harbor Volunteer Fire Company.  Chief Szafranski was a dedicated No-Shave participant who was privately fighting his own courageous battle with Pancreatic Cancer for the past several years.  Our initial goal for this year’s fundraiser was to keep the funds within the community and support Chief Szafranski’s family in his continued battle against cancer.  With his unfortunate recent passing, we have decided to move forward with our plan.  We will still keep it local and we will still move forward and raise funds in Chief Szafranski’s honor.

We are all First Responders for our great Township who pride ourselves on representing our supportive and caring community. It is a member, such as Chief Szafranski, who not only has played a significant role toward the Emergency Services Community, but also toward making this the community we are proud to serve each day. Chief Szafranski had been a great mentor to many of us, and an even better friend.  He will be sorely missed by everyone in this community, and we will always honor his memory.

We have invited all of our volunteer organizations to join forces with the police department and participate in this local campaign.

On October 27, 2020 the “Before” photograph was taken, which included some of our police department participants, as well as a representatives from Lanoka Harbor EMS.  At the conclusion of this event (November 30th, 2020)  an “After” photograph will be taken and posted on our website.

I want to thank Lacey Township Police Sergeant George Resetar and Officer Michael Hutman for coordinating this initiative. Additionally, I want to thank all of my police officers and the members of the emergency services for their dedication and assistance with this event. At the conclusion of this event, the Lacey Township Police Department grooming policy will be back in full effect until next year’s No Shave November.

If anyone has any questions in regard to this initiative you may contact the Lacey Township Police Department at 609-693-6636; Sergeant George Resetar ext 2590 / email  gresetar@laceypd.org or Officer Michael Hutman ext 2527 / email mhutman@laceypd.org

 

If you would like to make a donation toward this initiative, please see the below link:

http://www.laceypba238.org/noshave/

Thank you.

-Chief Michael C. DiBella