The above photo depicts the “No-Shave November Keep it Local 2020” after-photo taken on the evening of Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020. Center is the family of Chief John Szafranski III. 

Each November, since 2016, the members of the Lacey Township Police Department have broken protocol for a good cause and this year was no different.  During the first four years of participating in the national No-Shave November Campaign our joint efforts with the local Township Emergency Services, we successfully raised over $21,000.  For 2020, we have used our “Keep it Local” campaign to raise money locally.

This year’s initiative started on November 1st, 2020, with the goal to help one of our own community leaders who recently passed away.  All of our donations 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 participant who privately fought his own courageous battle with Pancreatic Cancer for the past several years.

On December 2nd, 2020, members of our police department and Lanoka Harbor EMS took our “After” photograph on the steps of the Lacey Township Municipal Building.  At that time, we welcomed members of Chief Szafranski’s family to be a part of this moment as we informed them $4,510 was raised during the one-month period. Mrs. Szafranski has requested that all the monies raised be donated on Chief Szafranski’s behalf to the Lustgarten Foundation which specializes in Pancreatic Cancer Research.

I want to thank all of my police officers and members of our emergency services for their dedication to our own No Shave November Keep it Local Campaign.  I would also like to thank the leadership of our PBA Local 238 who greatly assisted managing the donations.

I have advised my officers that our No-Shave policy for the Lacey Township Police Department will remain in effect until 11:59 p.m. on December 31st, 2020.

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 Ptl. Michael Hutman ext 2527 / email mhutman@laceypd.org.

Thank you,

-Chief Michael C. DiBella