EHT Police Chief Looks to Expand Community Policing as Demand for Officers Grows

Chief Fred Spano says building relationships with residents is essential to modern policing, but increasing requests for community events are stretching department resources.

EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Egg Harbor Township Police Chief Fred Spano wants to expand the department's community policing efforts as growing demand for officers at neighborhood events, schools and public outreach programs puts increasing pressure on available resources.

During an Oct. 7 appearance on The Lorry Young Show on News Talk 1400 and 92.3 WOND, Spano said community policing has become an essential part of the department's mission, extending far beyond traditional law enforcement duties.

"We are looking at expanding our community policing unit," Spano said.

But he acknowledged that expanding those efforts would require additional resources.

"That comes again with a cost," he said.

Spano appeared alongside Officer Rodrigo Pimentel, an Army veteran who has played an active role in the department's community policing initiatives.

The chief said his goal is to create positive relationships between officers and residents before they encounter one another during an emergency, traffic stop or criminal investigation.

"Full function, full service police departments should have that community-oriented police mindset or goal," Spano said.

"It's really a way to interact with people in the community at any type of event. It's really creativity, and I think we do a very good job at that, and that's a way to establish credibility, trust, and a partnership with the people that we serve."

Growing Demand for Community Policing

Spano said the department participates in an increasingly broad range of community activities.

Those include Coffee with a Cop gatherings, senior citizen outreach, school programs, family events, veterans activities, National Night Out and Halloween safety initiatives.

The department also provides officers and specialized police vehicles for events organized by local businesses and community groups.

Many of those activities have become annual commitments.

Spano said the growing number of requests is creating challenges for the department's community policing personnel.

"What happens is when we start engaging and providing police officers to stage and staff many of these events, what happens is that becomes almost an annual request," he said.

"But then we start feeling the burden because we can't — you know, we haven't really turned people down yet."

The department's community policing unit operates under the command of Capt. Brian Keene.

Spano said the department expects officers throughout the organization, not just those assigned to community policing, to develop relationships with residents.

The department has approximately 90 sworn officers and serves one of Atlantic County's largest municipalities.

According to Egg Harbor Township's 2025 municipal budget message, police responded to 65,638 calls for service in 2024.

Of those, 25,535 were calls initiated by members of the public or other sources rather than officers, an increase of 2.6% from 2023.

The figures illustrate the department's workload as it balances traditional law enforcement responsibilities with community outreach.

Spano did not announce a specific number of additional positions, funding request or timetable for expanding the community policing unit.

A Conversation at Wawa Leads to Traffic Safety Review

Spano offered a recent example of how informal conversations with residents can produce immediate results.

Earlier Wednesday, officers participated in a Coffee with a Cop event at the Wawa near English Creek and Ocean Heights avenues.

During the gathering, a retired resident approached Spano with concerns about traffic conditions near Fernwood Middle School and other neighborhood quality-of-life issues.

The chief said the resident might never have contacted the police department through traditional channels.

"We wouldn't know that if we didn't see him face to face, because that person may not be the type of person that will call us," Spano said.

"But just by being — just having coffee and being in Wawa, it gave him an opportunity to engage."

Spano said he subsequently directed Sgt. Ed Stearns or another traffic officer to examine conditions near Fernwood Middle School during afternoon dismissal.

The goal is to determine whether additional traffic safety measures are necessary.

"That's the spirit of community policing," Spano said.

"Some people may not bring their concerns to us. They're not going to call us because they think, well, what are we going to do?"

He said officers also need to be willing to hear criticism.

During Wednesday's gathering, Spano acknowledged that some conversations were not entirely positive.

"I had a couple — they weren't necessarily favorable discussions, but that's okay," he said.

"Those discussions need to be had."

Officer Pimentel: Building Trust Before Problems Arise

Pimentel, who served approximately nine and a half years in the Army before joining the Egg Harbor Township Police Department, said community policing creates relationships that can eventually help officers conduct investigations.

A veteran of a 2012 deployment to Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne Division, Pimentel said he became involved in the department's youth mentoring programs early in his police career.

He has also served temporarily as a community policing officer.

Pimentel said the benefits of outreach extend beyond the events themselves.

"When we're conducting investigations, having that good relationship within the community, when you need information, people are more likely to give it to you because they remembered you from any one of the multiple things that we're involved with," he said.

The officer said even brief interactions can make a difference.

"If they see us out and about, they remember that positive experience that they had with those officers or that officer," Pimentel said.

He emphasized that community policing is not limited to officers assigned to a particular unit.

"It's part of how we conduct business," he said.

Pimentel also serves as a field training officer and encourages new recruits to become involved in outreach programs.

Mentoring the Next Generation

One of the department's most established outreach initiatives is Public Safety Cadets Post 94.

The program introduces young people to careers in law enforcement, firefighting, emergency medical services and emergency communications.

Participants receive hands-on training, leadership development and opportunities to participate in community service activities.

During Wednesday's interview, Pimentel described the program as serving young people ages 14 to 21.

The program's current website also advertises a junior cadet opportunity for children ages 12 and 13.

Pimentel said cadets assist with local events, including parking and other logistical responsibilities.

"We mentor young people, ages 14 to 21, through hands-on public safety training, leadership development, teamwork, and community service," he said.

The department also maintains an Adopt-a-Cop program involving fourth-grade students.

Spano explained that classrooms are paired with individual police officers who visit several times during the school year.

"A fourth-grade classroom will adopt one of our officers," he said.

"That officer will meet with that class three to four times a year."

The chief said the goal is to help children become comfortable interacting with police officers.

"There are kids that maybe don't have the role model at home," Spano said.

"And if they have a negative feeling about law enforcement, that's going to be transmitted to the children, unfortunately."

He said officers also participate in school-based educational programs and Read Across America activities.

"If we can make a difference in one child, that could save them," Spano said.

Community Partnerships Extend Beyond Police Department

Egg Harbor Township's outreach efforts also benefit from partnerships with nonprofit organizations.

The Egg Harbor Township Law Enforcement Activities Program, known as EHT LEAP, was established in 2021 by police officers and community supporters.

The nonprofit works to strengthen relationships between residents and law enforcement through activities that bring officers and community members together.

Another longstanding organization, the Police Activities League of Egg Harbor Township and Atlantic County, traces its origins to 1989.

The organization has expanded beyond traditional sports programming to include educational and technology initiatives.

Its programs now include robotics, science, technology and career exploration opportunities.

According to the organization, its programs serve nearly 2,000 children annually from throughout Atlantic County.

Spano has publicly supported those efforts, emphasizing the value of providing young people with opportunities that might otherwise be unavailable.

Challenges Include Staffing and Officer Participation

Spano acknowledged that community policing requires a commitment from officers who may already be balancing demanding schedules.

He said new officers generally understand that outreach is part of the department's culture.

However, some experienced officers may need additional encouragement.

"Sometimes it can be a challenge to get buy-in from maybe more seasoned officers who are maybe on the tail end of their career," Spano said.

He emphasized that community policing is not simply about attending pleasant events or posing for photographs.

"It's about, again, being transparent, being honest," he said.

Spano said successful community policing requires officers to listen to complaints, acknowledge shortcomings and develop solutions.

He also stressed the importance of civilian police employees and other township departments, particularly public works, in supporting community events.

The department's expanding outreach responsibilities come as municipalities across New Jersey continue to balance public safety needs with rising personnel and operating costs.

For now, Spano has expressed a desire to expand the unit but has not publicly identified how many additional officers would be assigned or how the expansion would be funded.

A Different Approach to Modern Policing

Spano said the philosophy behind community policing has changed considerably during his nearly 28 years with the department.

Years ago, police outreach often focused on classroom presentations and drug prevention programs.

Today, he said, the emphasis is on developing lasting relationships with people of all ages and backgrounds.

That includes residents who may be struggling financially, experiencing homelessness or dealing with other personal challenges.

"We expect our officers to engage those people," Spano said.

He said some officers have even spent their own money to help residents obtain meals or other necessities.

The chief believes those interactions are essential to building confidence in law enforcement.

"Our goal in our town is to make sure that our community members know that they can trust the Egg Harbor Township Police Department and all of its members," he said.

As the department considers expanding its community policing unit, Spano said the underlying philosophy will remain the same.

"We need to improve. We need to expand because that's the new era of policing."

Egg Harbor Township Police Chief Fred Spano and Officer Rodrigo Pimentel appeared Wednesday, Oct. 7, on The Lorry Young Show, heard weekdays from 1 to 2 p.m. on News Talk 1400 and 92.3 WOND.