Cranford police officers, from left, Sgt. Timothy O’Brien, Patrol Officer Lynne Galvez, Sgt. Joseph Stulpin, Patrol Officer Robert Chamra and Patrol Officer Ryan Drew, show they are ‘Cranford Strong.’
CRANFORD — More than ever, residents are looking to their leaders for reassurance. Whether there are leaders who possess the power to implement laws or community leaders who can limit crime during this time, law enforcement in multiple cities has stepped up to reassure residents of some order and give them a sense of community.
A sense of community is important during this time of uncertainty. During this time of separation, social distancing is a must. Residents across New Jersey are using different methods of communication, such as phone calls, face-to-face video technology, streaming, social media and email.
Much like residents, the Cranford Police Department has adjusted to the circumstances and has gone the extra mile in its communication efforts with residents.
“The Cranford Police Department has had to adapt to these uncertain times fairly quickly,” Cranford Police Detective Lt. Edward Davenport said to LocalSource on April 10. “First and foremost, we have stepped up our communications with the public. Working with our mayor, the Office of Emergency Management and the Health Department, we are providing daily updates through several different social media platforms and our emergency notification system, Nixle. The information we are pushing out relates to new cases in Cranford, public safety concerns and even recommendations from various organizations, like the CDC.”
Adapting to social media, a tool many have used to share messages of support and connect with others, is one of the ways the Cranford Police Department is dispersing important information to residents. Even though there are a multitude of ways to share information, connecting with residents during this time is imperative to the department.
“One of the other initiatives we rolled out since the pandemic began was the handling of reports by phone,” Davenport said. “This has eliminated the public’s need of having to come in person to the police department to file a report. This is both beneficial to the public and the police, because our officers interact with many people throughout the day. Limiting as much exposure as possibility will aid us in contributing to our social-distancing responsibility to the public.”
One thing the Cranford Police Department wants the community to know during this difficult time is how appreciative they are of the donations and support they’ve received from the community.
“We would also like to mention the continued support our community has provided to our first responders during these difficult times,” Davenport said. “We have received numerous food and supply donations from residents, local businesses and organizations throughout the pandemic, and we are extremely grateful for their assistance and cooperation in making our township safe.”