Jackson, NJ — A dream left unfinished by a fallen deputy and a years-long community effort came together in a single moment as Jackson Township officially opened its new K-9 Training Facility on May 27.
While the facility will serve as a training ground for police K-9 teams, the ceremony focused just as much on the people behind the project as the structure itself. Inside a crowded Town Hall, residents, police officers, supporters, and family members gathered to celebrate a project shaped by service, volunteerism, and remembrance.
At the center of the facility is a name that carries special meaning in the community: Deputy Sheriff Brian Kanterman.
The training center was dedicated in honor of Kanterman, who lost his life in the line of duty five years ago at the age of 25. A lifelong dog lover, Kanterman had hoped to one day become a K-9 officer. Although he never had the opportunity to achieve that goal, his connection to the K-9 community now lives on through a facility that will train future police dogs and handlers.
A Teenager’s Vision Became Reality
Long before the ribbon was cut, another story was unfolding behind the scenes.
In 2022, Jackson resident Shannon Calsetta began working on a Girl Scout Gold Award project that she hoped would make a lasting impact on her hometown. Rather than creating something temporary, she focused on building equipment that would directly benefit the Jackson Township Police Department’s K-9 Unit.
Over the next four years, Calsetta devoted nearly 99 hours to designing, purchasing materials for, constructing, sanding, and painting a full K-9 agility course.
The work wasn’t always easy. The project faced delays and organizational challenges, including multiple advisor changes. Still, Calsetta continued pushing forward until the course was completed.
Today, that equipment serves as one of the signature features of the new training facility.
Honoring Service Across Generations
The opening ceremony highlighted how the facility represents contributions from people at very different stages of life but united by a commitment to service.
Chief Mary Nelson presented Calsetta with a Letter of Recognition, acknowledging the years of work that transformed a student project into a permanent asset for the department.
Nelson also presented the Kanterman family with a Certificate of Dedication, formally recognizing the facility’s connection to their son’s legacy.
For attendees, the two recognitions reflected the broader purpose behind the project: honoring past service while investing in the future.
Key Points
• Jackson Township officially opened its new Police K-9 Training Facility on May 27.
• The center is dedicated to fallen Deputy Sheriff Brian Kanterman.
• Girl Scout Gold Award recipient Shannon Calsetta spent four years creating the agility course featured at the facility.
More Than a Building
The facility provides a dedicated space for K-9 training, but community members repeatedly described it as something larger than a law enforcement project.
The center stands as a visible reminder of the partnerships that helped bring it to life. Volunteers, police personnel, residents, supporters, and the Kanterman family all played roles in creating a facility designed to serve the township for years to come.
For the K-9 Unit, the training grounds provide equipment and resources that can help officers and their canine partners prepare for real-world deployments.
For residents, the facility offers a lasting example of what can happen when community members invest their time and energy into a shared goal.
A Legacy That Will Continue
As the ceremony concluded, the significance of the project extended beyond the ribbon-cutting itself.
Future K-9 teams will train on equipment built by a local student who refused to give up on a challenging project. They will do so at a facility bearing the name of a deputy whose passion for dogs and public service continues to resonate years after his death.
The result is a training center that serves two purposes at once: preparing K-9 teams for the future while preserving the memory of someone who hoped to one day join their ranks.
With the facility now officially open, both legacies will continue side by side in Jackson Township.