Fairfield (NJ) The Fairfield Police Department, in association with the Fairfield Municipal Alliance Committee and the Fairfield Police Foundation, is excited to announce a community engagement initiative that is mainly geared towards the children of our town, and which will run throughout the year. The department has brought back its police officer trading card program, whichhas already begun in earnest. The department last had such an initiative in 2005 and it was very successful.
“This time we plan to make it even more successful and plan to have a lot of fun with it” said Chief Anthony G. Manna. The chief stated that officers were not required to participate in the program but that most of the department’s officers elected to take part in it. Each of these officers have their own trading card with their pictures on one side and a biography and message on the other side. The cards were purchased by the Fairfield Municipal Alliance Committee.
“The idea behind the program is to have our citizens get to know the names and faces of the heroes who do such a great job every day protecting and serving thiscommunity. In turn, it allows our officers to have more positive interactions with all of our citizens but especially our youngest ones. We are encouraging citizens to approach our officers, but only when they are not engaged in some law enforcement action or duty, and to ask them for their trading card. The program only began on June 15th, but we have already had a large number of children and parents come to the police department to obtain the cards of the officers that were working. It seems everyone is having fun with it,” said the chief.
There are 43 cards in the series with one being a checklist so that collectors can keep track of those cards they have or still need. But the fun does not end there. Thanks to the Fairfield Police Foundation, the first (20)people who present a completed set to the Chief of Police will each receive a $100 gift card.
While collectors should be able to find and obtain the cards from most of the officers there are some officers that will not be as easy. In order for collectors to locate these officers, the department plans on making these officers available at specific locations and times. It also plans to do a few scavenger hunts for the cards on certain days at the Fairfield Recreation Complex. The department plans to notify the public of these special appearancesand dates using its newest mobile app technology, Atlas One.
All citizens are encouraged to download the free Atlas One mobile app from whatever store they download their apps from and to then follow the Fairfield Police Department. In addition to receiving the locations and times where an officer will be to get their trading card or when a scavenger hunt will take place, citizens can seeand take part in all things Fairfield Police including press releases, permission to park overnight on the street, provide crime tips or to even see what calls are going on in their neighborhoods in almost real time.
Authorized by: Chief Anthony Manna
