Harrison Police Host 5th Pizza With A Cop Event on Mon. Sept. 9, 2024

The Harrison Police Department will host its fifth Pizza With A Cop event on Monday, September 9, 2024, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the intersection of Dey Street and Bergen Street, outside the Dey & Bergen Apartment Complex in Harrison, NJ. This community-focused event is part of a series organized by the Harrison Police Department’s Community Policing Unit, under the leadership of Chief David Strumolo.

Now in its third year, the Pizza With A Cop initiative has continued to serve as an inviting space where Harrison residents can enjoy complimentary pizza and beverages while interacting with local law enforcement officers in a relaxed environment. The initiative aligns with the broader objectives of Community Policing, a national strategy that seeks to foster collaboration between the police and the community in addressing local issues. As defined by the U.S. Department of Justice, Community Policing encourages residents to become active partners in promoting neighborhood safety and quality of life.

Chief Strumolo and the Harrison Police Department have made community engagement a key part of their mission, building on a long-standing tradition. Dating back to the 1990s, the department has been deeply involved in the lives of Harrison residents. Retired Deputy Chief Patrick Minutillo helped launch community initiatives like Naturalization Drives, which assisted residents in their journey toward U.S. citizenship. Supported by groups such as the Harrison Fest Committee and the Centro Romeu Cascaes Portuguese American Community Center, these drives offered services such as fingerprinting and volunteer assistance in completing citizenship applications.

Events like Pizza With A Cop continue this legacy by transforming how residents engage with their local police. They foster a sense of trust and cooperation, essential elements in the department’s progressive approach to law enforcement. Chief Strumolo and his team have successfully modernized community-police relations while preserving the department’s core values.

In addition to Pizza With A Cop, the Harrison Police Department’s commitment to the community was evident during the Junior Police Academy held the week of August 12, 2024. Thirty local sixth to eighth-grade students were given an inside look into police work. The academy featured collaborations with law enforcement agencies including the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, Hudson County Sheriff’s Department, and the New Jersey State Police, whose helicopter landed at Library Park. Students also visited the Newark Police Mounted Unit and the World Trade Center Memorial Museum, all with the assistance of the NJ/NY Port Authority Police.

Harrison residents are encouraged to attend this upcoming event, meet the officers who work to keep the town safe and enjoy an evening of pizza and community spirit. The Pizza With A Cop series exemplifies the positive outcomes of Chief Strumolo’s dedication to community-oriented policing, ensuring that Harrison remains a close-knit and supportive community.

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