Joined by Manchester Township’s elected officials and Congressman Christopher H. Smith, Chief Antonio Ellis this week was proud to unveil Manchester Police Department’s ten new vehicles, funded with no municipal tax burden through the Byrne Discretionary Grant Program!
Several years ago, then-Chief Robert Dolan identified a serious concern as many vehicles in the department’s aging fleet were beyond operational limits and temporary fixes could no longer alleviate these issues. In an effort to maintain the level of service our community deserves, Chief Dolan reached out to Congressman Smith for assistance.
“Our department — serving over 45,000 residents across 85 square miles — was facing increasing demands with limited resources,” said Chief Ellis. “That’s when we put forward a comprehensive plan — focused on restoring reliability, safety, and sustainability, and that plan led to the real results we see before us today.”
With the assistance of Congressman Smith, Manchester Township was awarded approximately $1.148 million through the Fiscal Year 2024 Byrne Discretionary Grant Program, which went toward purchasing nine new Chevy Tahoe SUVs and an animal control van.
“Special thanks to Chief Antonio Ellis, then-Mayor and now-Commissioner Rob Arace, then-Chief Robert Dolan, Mayor Joseph Hankins, and the entire Manchester Town Council for their tireless efforts to identify concerns with Manchester Twp. Police Department’s aging fleet of police vehicles and spearhead this critical request to the finish line,” said Congressman Smith. “Today is an amazing example of what good local governance can lead to. Their remarkable advocacy has reaped tangible benefits for the people of Manchester Township, the nine brand-new Chevy Tahoe SUVs and animal control van that stand before us will actively make Manchester safer and better equipped to fulfill the needs of its residents.”
“I join with Congressman Smith in thanking our elected officials for their continued leadership and support in ensuring that our officers have the equipment they need to respond safely to calls for service, enhancing public safety here in Manchester Township,” said Chief Ellis.