By: Najla Alexander
Atlantic County officials announced that since its establishment in June 2022, the Community Outreach Unit, in collaboration with the prosecutors, investigators, and advocates of the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, has attended, created, and participated in hundreds of community events across Atlantic County.
Officials stated that ACPO was involved in over 190 outreach events in the year 2023, including but not limited to:
• Boardwalk outreach to the homeless populations
• Youth mentorship programs in Atlantic County middle schools
• Elder fraud awareness seminars to protect and educate the vulnerable senior population
• Career day presentations from detectives, prosecutors, victim advocates, and other public safety positions at the Prosecutor’s Office
• Presentations on the dangers of internet safety, sexting, and cyberbullying
• Various community walks in Pleasantville in Atlantic City, including a National Gun Violence Awareness Walk in June in collaboration with the Office of the Attorney General
• Training Wheels: A Drive to Save Lives, an educational drunk and impaired driving awareness program presented to Atlantic County high schools
• Special Needs Registry program in which local law enforcement in Brigantine, Northfield, and Egg Harbor City partnered with Special Education classes
• Miscellaneous events, including National Night Out across 13 municipalities, cultural flag raisings, and local fairs
Authorities say ACPO has focused on the importance of connecting with religious organizations of all denominations.
In 2023 alone, officials say, ACPO has participated in services at Atlantic City mosques, collaborated with the Anti-Defamation League to combat antisemitism, participated in October’s Faith and Blue march in Atlantic City, and hosted two interfaith meetings of police, chaplains, and religious leaders countywide.
ACPO also appointed its first-ever Chaplain, Pastor Lou Strugala. Chaplain Strugala volunteers with the office to provide nondenominational emotional and spiritual support to all members of the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, officials said.
According to officials, with his weekly “office hours” held in ACPO’s Employee Wellness Room, Chaplain Strugala makes himself available to any staff member at the law enforcement agency looking to talk or unburden their troubles, reinforcing the resiliency and morale of the agency in an innovative way.
Following Chaplain Strugala’s appointment, he served as Master of Ceremonies for ACPO’s Law Enforcement Interfaith Prayer Breakfast held this past December 2023. ACPO looks forward to further outreach with Atlantic County’s interfaith community and with the community at large in 2024.
Officials say in order to invite ACPO and its Community Outreach Team to an event, please visit this link.