Riverside Police Launch Special Services Unit

 

The Riverside Township Police Department has made several personnel changes to improve the quality of police service we provide to our community. 

The Riverside Police Department is proud to announce a new program within the police department. After 15 years in the Detective Bureau Lt. Fisher has been tasked with starting and developing the new Special Services Unit (SSU). The unit will be designed to assist those suffering from substance abuse and mental health as well as assisting those in need of social services. Individuals can enter the police department or call 911 if in crisis and request referral to services, and assistance. The SSU will utilize already established County and State programs along with NJTIP and its volunteers. The goal will be to assist those suffering from substance abuse, mental health issues or any type of personal crisis that would require some type of social service. The SSU will also be utilizing other resources and organizations to assist in Harm Reduction within our community. The SSU along with NJTIP will track individuals after an initial engagement with a focus on providing “wraparound” care; characterized by ongoing check-ins and assistance with accessing different substance use disorder and or mental health disorders. Social services, sometimes in the form of care coordination or case management through the SSU and or NJTIP will be made available. This new undertaking will not impact the overall budget of the Riverside Township Police Department. We are excited to see what can be accomplished with this new venture.

The Riverside Township Police Detective Bureau investigate crimes, perform follow ups, conduct interviews and are also tasked with the time consuming tasks of evidence management, including all digital evidence, property management, preparation of all Discovery for pending court cases, and background investigations.  The many technological advances in law enforcement have greatly improved modern day policing but at a manpower cost.  These advances have also created a necessity to manage a huge influx of data from car cameras, body worn cameras, Taser equipped cameras, in-car computers and numerous computers and software systems within the station. In order to meet this growing need we are pleased to announce that Detective Sergeant Ron Brock has been reassigned from his position as a patrol Sergeant to oversee the Detective Bureau, and Ptl. Travis Perinho and Ptl. Shane Pettit have been assigned new roles as Detectives.