Toms River teachers and students raise $10k for police ballistic vests

Charlie Dwyer
Toms River Police Department receives $10,000 check from TRRS board.

TOMS RIVER, NJ – Each year, the Toms River Police Department hosts its annual vest-a-cop fundraiser in the fall to purchase ballistic vests for officers. While New Jersey requires police officers to be outfitted with body cameras, they are not required to wear ballistic vests, and those vests are not issued to officers.

That leaves departments like the Toms River Police Department and many others to find creative ways to raise money to buy the vests, which can cost as much as $1,000 each for good ones, to equip their officers.

This year, under the direction of Superintendent Michael Citta, the Toms River School District got involved.

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The district raised over $10,000 through its fundraising efforts.


“I love this town, I love this school district, and I love our kids. Everything we do as a police department, and a foundation, is for our kids. We have no greater partner than this school district. And I can’t be more proud of the direction we are going,” said Toms River Police Chief Mitch Little. “Thank you so much for this. You have just outfitted ten of our officers with vests for the next five years. Thank you so much!”


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