Eatontown Elks Donate Funds For New Police Communications Center

The Eatontown Elks Lodge 2402 recently helped the Eatontown Police Department put the finishing touches on a new project.

The Elks donated a $589 check to the police department during a council meeting earlier this month that will be used to purchase of a laptop computer that will run the police department’s computer aided dispatch system during emergency operations, according to Eatontown Police Capt. John Cleary. The secondary communications center is located in the Eatontown Fire House.

At the meeting, Capt. Cleary explained that the Eatontown Elks Exalted Ruler, Justice Mills, had approached the department looking to make a donation that could assist the police department and the citizens of Eatontown.

He explained that the police department had nearly completed a secondary off-site communications center that could be utilized in an emergency necessitating the evacuation of the current communications center located in the police department in Eatontown Borough Hall. 

Capt. Cleary said the secondary site has radio and telephone operating systems that can be utilized within 60 seconds after dispatchers leave the communications center in borough hall. The secondary site had been prewired for computer access and the donation by the Eatontown Elks Lodge allowed for the purchase of a lap top computer that would give police dispatchers the ability to utilize the same computer programs accessed within the police department.

Capt. Cleary said the secondary site ensures that any and all requests for police, fire or first aid are dispatched and that the responding unit’s status can constantly be monitored for both the safety of the first responders as well as the citizens in need of such assistance.

He said it will also allow officers to continue to check on the status of an individual’s driving or vehicle registration privileges, the status of local, state and federal warrants as well as restraining and/or judicial orders. 

During this week's Eatontown Memorial Day Services at Wampum Park, members from the Eatontown Elks Lodge and the Eatontown Police Department met at the secondary communications center to formally present the check to and show off the new laptop.

Capt. Cleary said he wanted to acknowledge the "long standing relationship the Eatontown Elks Lodge 2402 has had with the citizens of Eatontown and their commitment to helping the local community."