Burlington County Sheriff’s Office Starts Proactive Patrols in River Line Towns

RIVERTON – New Jersey Senator Troy Singleton, Burlington County Sheriff James Kostoplis and the Burlington County Commissioners announced the launch of a new proactive law enforcement initiative to improve public safety, deter crime and assist local police along the River Line light-rail system.

Burlington County Sheriff’s officers have started special patrols at and near River Line stations in Burlington County. When requested, those officers will also transport suspects arrested in River Line towns from that jurisdiction’s police department to Burlington County Detention Center in Mount Holly. By transporting those suspects for those local police department, the Sheriff’s Office will save municipal officers time and allow them to more quickly return to patrols and investigations.

The special Sheriff’s details started earlier this month and are being funded with a $150,000 legislative funding grant secured by Senator Singleton and Assemblywoman Katz in the FY2025 New Jersey State Budget.

“The River Line is the one of the only mass transit systems in South Jersey and we want to make sure those who ride it can do so safely without fear or concern, and the towns it runs through are secure as well,” said Senator Singleton, who prime sponsored the budget resolution with Assemblywoman Katz. “We heard from local police chiefs, business owners and commuters about how a more visible police presence at River Line stations could help improve the safety of riders, residents, and nearby businesses. Working with Sheriff Kostoplis, the County Commissioners and local police chiefs, we were able to craft a plan to add special patrols and fund them without draining municipal or county resources.”

Assemblywoman Katz said she was proud to partner with Senator Singleton to help support the County’s efforts to boost public safety.

“As elected leaders, we have no greater responsibility than to look after the safety and well-being of our residents,” Katz said. “Bringing Burlington County Sheriff officers to proactively patrol and assist with prisoner transportation is smart policy, and I was pleased to join with Senator Singleton on a resolution to bring state funding back to Burlington County for this purpose.”

Burlington County Commissioner Director Felicia Hopson and Commissioner Allison Eckel said the initiative would be fully funded with the state grant and would boost safety without burdening local property taxpayers.

“Burlington County’s Delaware River towns are some of New Jersey’s most historic and attractive communities, and we want to make sure they remain places where residents want to live, work and commute safely, including those who live near or rely on the River Line light rail,” Hopson added. “We’re incredibly grateful for Senator Singleton and Assemblywoman Katz’s leadership on this issue and for the cooperation of the Sheriff’s Office and local police forces. By working together, we’re able to boost safety and quality of life, and better support our local police.”

“The Burlington County Sheriff officers do an outstanding job securing the County Courthouse and other County facilities, locating fugitives and supporting our local police departments with special details like this one,” added Eckel, the liaison to the Burlington County Department of Public Safety. “These proactive patrols will provide greater peace of mind to River Line riders, business owners and residents without increasing costs for local police departments.”

‘A visible presence’

There are 11 River Line stations in Burlington County and special patrols and prisoner transport assistance will occur in the following towns: Bordentown City, Bordentown Township, Florence, Burlington City, Burlington Township, Beverly, Delanco, Edgewater Park, Delran, Riverside, Riverton, Cinnaminson and Palmyra.

These patrols will consist of multiple sworn Sheriff’s officers at River Line stations and communities at “peak times” determined by law enforcement statistics and analysis. During these details, officers will provide a visible presence to deter and respond to crime. They will also engage with commuters and residents to help build trust and foster collaboration.

To assist the local police forces along the line, some officers assigned to the special detail will also provide efficient prisoner transport to Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly when requested. Doing so will free up local police officers so they can devote additional time to patrols, investigations and community policing throughout their jurisdictions.

“Burlington County Sheriff’s officers are law enforcement officers and they are sworn to serve and protect our communities,” Sheriff Kostoplis said. “Special details like this one are not new for our office; we proudly assisted our communities by deploying officers along the River Line in 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 health emergency. With Senator Singleton’s and Assemblywoman Katz’s assistance, we now have the resources to deploy our officers to some of these same areas again to deter crime and improve safety for everyone.”

‘An important partnership’

Bordentown Police Chief Shaun Lafferty, president of the Burlington County Association of Police Chiefs, and Riverton Police Chief Andrew Beuschel said local police requested the assistance and appreciated the support from the County.

“We appreciate the opportunity to work with the Burlington County Sheriff’s Office and the NJ Transit Police on this program. I thank Senator Singleton and Assemblywoman Katz for taking assertive action to bolster public safety in Burlington County. They listened to stakeholders’ concerns, making a serious commitment to invest in improving the quality of life and safety within our River Line communities,” Chief Lafferty said. “These cooperative efforts not only serve as a force multiplier to supplement currently strained resources, but also provide an environment for collaboration between multiple agencies working toward a singular mission.”

“This marks the beginning of an important partnership that will grow to meet the needs of our communities.” Chief Lafferty added. “The additional resources will assist in providing much-needed attention to these areas and will send a strong message to commuters, residents, and businesses that we take their safety and security seriously.”

“I want to thank Senator Singleton and his staff for taking the time to listen to Riverton residents and I about the growing concerns surrounding the impacts of crime around our light rail and the related challenges for local police,” Chief Beuschel said. “I acknowledge the dedicated efforts of Riverton police and other local police forces. Our officers work tirelessly to ensure our towns remain safe and welcoming. However, we face some unique challenges from the River Line trains, and as a small-police force, tasks like transporting arrestees to jail can put a strain on our officers’ time and our department’s resources. This is why the partnership with the Burlington County Sheriff’s Office is so crucial. Our officers look forward to working collaboratively, and I look forward to watching this partnership expand to allow us to focus more on public safety and community engagement.”