Cherry Hill Sun

Tag: cherry hill police

  • LEAD continues to impact sixth graders

    Sixth-grade students in Cherry Hill continue to learn how to make responsible decisions through the Law Enforcement Against Drugs and Violence (LEAD) program, with its strategies to reduce youthful consumption of alcohol, tobacco and other substances. 

    Those strategies include enhancing protective factors like student bonding with family and engagement with the school and community.

    Township officer Anthony Amato is a certified LEAD instructor who helped bring the program to the township in 2022.

    “These things have been proven to help foster development of resiliency in young people who may be at risk for any of those substance abuse or other types of problem behaviors,” he explained. “We try to help foster a learning community where young people are going to be provided with the tools to make healthy independent decisions despite being in adverse conditions.”

    The township LEAD program began after Amato and two of his fellow officers attended a training class for certification. At the time – with only three officers instructing classes – there was no way for LEAD to be implemented in the entire district, so it was decided to pilot the program in one grade at one school at a time, starting with Rosa International Middle School.

    There are now 15 police instructors who teach the 10-week long course once a week to all district students every fall. Lessons usually last about 50 minutes and are often taught on Thursday mornings, though schedules do shift. 

    “The curriculum is effective in reducing alcohol, marijuana and tobacco use by students by preparing them to act decisively, refusing, you know, offers for drugs, helping students to recognize what the risks are and how to avoid drug related situations,” said Amato.

    The decision to teach the program to sixth graders was a strategic one, as those students often experience high stress in the transition from elementary to middle school. The first LEAD lesson teaches how to set a goal and provides tools on how to avoid drugs and other substances.

    “The criteria for setting a goal is, it needs to be personal, possible, positive and specific,” Amato pointed out. “I would say that we’re really trying to give students foundational principles for being successful in life, not just how (or) why you shouldn’t do certain things.

    “We’re trying to give you the tools to be successful in everything.”

    By the end of this year’s program, about 3,000 township students will have received LEAD instruction.

    “My favorite part, easily, is the connection with that particular age group,” Amato emphasized. “I pretty much feel confidently I cannot go anywhere in the entire township without running into somebody who’s been a part of the program.”

    Amato stressed that while the goal of LEAD is to reduce substance abuse, its skills can also be applied to other areas in the lives of students. 

    “The core of the program is just empowering the youth to value their own perceptions and feelings and make choices that support drug free values,” he stated. “And this program is going to continue on for as long as we could possibly support it there …

    “We do feel that it has a very positive impact on the students.”

  • Side by Side with domestic violence victims

    Domestic violence rates saw a record spike during COVID, when victims and their abusers were in close quarters at home. While that’s no longer the case, support remains crucial.

    Three towns are playing their part. In Cherry Hill, Haddonfield and tiny Tavistock, police are working with the Side by Side Domestic Violence Response Team to help survivors navigate resources available to them. The team operates 24/7 to take calls either through its specific phone line or to respond when police get a domestic violence call.

    The response team has been ongoing since the late 1990s, when it was created by attorney Nancy Hatch in partnership with former mayor Susan Bass Levin. It is now mandated by the state attorney general that every municipality have a team. Side by Side is unique in that it has a specific name.

    Beth Hastings is the coordinator for the program. 

    “People should know that the services are available,” she noted. “A lot of times people don’t even know that our services are there.” 

    According to the most recent data from NJ.gov, 2023 marked a five-year high in domestic violence incidents reported to police in the state, at 70,828, compared with 67,512 cases in 2022. Nationally, statistics show that for the first half of 2025, incidents are up by 3% compared with the same period last year. 

    Ten volunteers currently make up Side by Side and each undergoes 40 hours of training, after which they can speak with victims in a confidential capacity. Volunteers are not counselors, but rather sources of support who provide information and give victims the emotional space to express their feelings in the moment. 

    Some volunteers can also be cross-trained on non-fatal strangulation, human trafficking and sexual assault. The team is available to help both men and women in either same-sex or opposite-sex relationships who experience violence at the hands of a partner. Volunteers will meet victims at a hospital or police department without pressuring them to make a specific decision.  

    For clients who don’t want to leave their relationships, the team can help create a safety plan, while giving the client control of how they manage their situation without judgement. 

    “We’re just empowering them with information,” Hastings explained, “or we’re just the shoulder to cry on or to listen … We never want to push anything on them.” 

    Clients who do want out of their relationships face major concerns like housing, legal services and the safety of children or pets. Side by Side can connect them with safe houses and shelters, walk them through what to expect from a restraining order or how to contact a pro bono lawyer. 

    For the most part, when the Side by Side team is dispatched by the police, officers have already contacted the units that specifically handle child abuse.

    “There are male victims, female victims, children,” Hastings pointed out. “We don’t counsel the children, though. We only counsel the adults.”

    For clients who need someplace for their pets while they’re in a shelter or safe house, Side by Side partners with Services Empowering the Rights of Victims (SERV) to offer safe, temporary options. 

    “A lot of clients won’t leave because of their animals, because the animals support them,” Hastings pointed out.

    Clients who want more information can also receive a pamphlet with resources and information on staying safe, or find the pamphlet online at the Cherry Hill police website, under the Domestic Violence link in the Programs and Services section. 

    If you or someone you know is in immediate danger of domestic violence, call 911. To contact Side by Side directly for non-immediate services, call (856) 432-8869. To reach SERV, call (866) 295-7678.

  • Council swears in incumbents and police chief  

    Cherry Hill Mayor Dave Fleisher swears in John Ostermueller – who was joined by his fiancé – as the township’s new police chief.

    Two incumbent members and a new police chief were sworn in by Cherry Hill Mayor Dave Fleisher during township council’s Jan. 7 reorganization meeting.

    Incumbents Daniel DiRenzo Jr. and Jill Hulnick, who won office in the November election, were joined by loved ones as they took the oath of office. Fleisher said of the pair, “They both share my passion for moving Cherry Hill forward.”

    DiRenzo, who spent 25 years working for the township fire department, including as captain and CFO, thanked his family and fellow council members for their support, and explained what a privilege it’s been getting to know locals and the things that matter most to them.

    “This past year has provided me the opportunity to understand the concerns and issues that residents face and to help advocate on the issues,” he said. “Trust is very important to me, and I will persist in earning that trust.”

    Hulnick, an independent consultant with leadership in the business, nonprofit and government sectors, shared the same sentiment.

    “I approached this role with a deep sense of duty and appreciation for the trust placed in me by the residents of Cherry Hill,” he noted, “and look forward to serving our community for many more years to come.” 

    William Carter and Michele Golkow were reappointed council president and vice president, respectively. Also sworn in was new Police Chief John Ostermueller, of whom Fleisher said, “He shares my commitment to keeping our neighborhoods safe and operating with efficiency, professionalism and accountability.” 

    Ostermueller, who boasts more than two decades in law enforcement – including the past 21 years in Cherry Hill – replaces Robert Kempf, who retired on Dec. 31. Ostermueller will lead a department of more than 175 full- and part-time employees, including 136 full-time sworn officers, special law-enforcement officers, dispatchers, administrative staff and records personnel. 

    “We’re going to deliver excellent public service with accountability, compassion, respect for everyone we serve,” he promised. “When we talk about what’s the vision for Cherry Hill, we’re going to make Cherry Hill the safest place to live, work and shop through community engagement, innovative strategies, deterring crime and protecting the vulnerable.

    “That’s our mission. That is what we are. That’s who we’ll be.” 

    Fleisher also shared at the meeting some township highlights from 2024, his first year as mayor. They include preserving more than 23 acres of open space with the purchase of Holly Ravine Farm; investing more than $1.4 million in new police technology and public safety initiatives; completing renovations at Barlow and Brandywood parks; paving 75 neighborhood roadways; installing more than 120 ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) improvements; registering more than 2,300 users of the new My Cherry Hill app; and welcoming more than 6,000 attendees to the township’s Independence Day celebration, with fireworks back for the first time in a decade. 

    “We have worked hard to demonstrate our commitment to reinvigorating a sense of pride in our community, to connect and communicate with our residents on many fronts,” explained Fleisher, who spotlighted the township’s new website and expanded social media presence.

    “None of this happens without the support of our residents and the leadership of our township council.” 

  • Police academy applications open

    The Cherry Hill Police Department’s Citizen Police Academy returns this January.

    The free nine-week program is designed to increase residents’ understanding of police operations, policies and procedures with first-hand experiences. The academy is open to any adult who lives in Cherry Hill, who has not already participated and who has no felony convictions or pending criminal actions at the time of application. Participants must also pass a background investigation. 

    The academy will meet every Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 820 Mercer St., beginning on Jan. 22 and continuing through March 19. Class size is limited to 20 people (first come, first served).

    To apply, fill out the online application here: https://www.chnj.gov/FormCenter/Cherry-Hill-Police-9/2025-Cherry-Hill-Police-Department-CITIZ-213?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3yUGa0e3pHAU-xFzCoX5qwMSAhSx8JPTHUiE9yMF-nJKkqPmby3raKtWY_aem_jCedGe3dPTf_CZ6Xdkk6AA

    Additional questions can be emailed to Lt. Andrew Spell at ASpell@cherryhillpolice.com

  • Detectives investigate death in Cherry Hill

    The following release is according to the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office and a statement from the Cherry Hill Mayor’s Office.

    Detectives are investigating the death of a man in Cherry Hill, reported Camden County Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay and Cherry Hill Police Chief Robert Kempf.

    On Tuesday, December 10, 2024, at approximately 7:09 a.m., officers from the Cherry Hill Police Department responded to a call in the Barclay neighborhood in the area of the 100 block of Sharrowvalle Road in Cherry Hill where upon arrival, they located an unconscious man identified as Michael Anthony, 45, of Cherry Hill. Anthony was pronounced deceased at the scene.

    This investigation is active and ongoing at this time.

    Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Daniel Crawford of the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit at (856) 580-2223 and Detective Frank Kirsch of the Cherry Hill Police Department at (856) 432-8834. Tips can also be sent to CAMDEN.TIPS.

  • Chief Kempf will retire from police department after 26 years

    Emily Liu/The Sun
    Kempf is a Cherry Hill West alumnus who began his career as a patrol officer in the police department in 1998.

    Chief Robert Kempf has announced he will retire from the Cherry Hill police department on Dec. 31, after more than two decades on the force.

    “During my time working with him as mayor, he has shared my and our commitment to public safety, enhancing the quality of life in our community,” Mayor David Fleisher said of Kempf. “So thank you very much chief.”

    Similar remarks were made by other council members at the Oct. 15 meeting where Kempf’s retirement was announced, including Sangeeta Doshi.

    “To reiterate what the mayor has said, you’ve always been very professional,” Doshi told the chief. “I was raised that you should always leave a place much better than you found it, and Cherry Hill is a much better place because you were here. So thank you.”

    Kempf is a Cherry Hill West alumni who began his career as a patrol officer in the township in 1998. In 2012, he took on the role of detective, serving for two years before becoming a patrol sergeant in 2014, a detective sergeant in 2015 and a lieutenant in 2016. In that role , Kempf was promoted to training officers before becoming police chief in 2021.

    “I just always loved Cherry Hill,” he said. “I knew I was going to raise my family here, and so how best to be a part of the community than to help protect it and keep it safe?”

    In his three years as chief, Kempf was proudest of earning the department’s first accreditation by the New Jersey State Chief of Police and partnering with the Volunteers of America to bring social programs to the township. Among them is Impact, which helps the police aid the homeless and other people in need. The police department is working with the state attorney general and recently began the rollout of Arrive Together, a program that will enable mental-health professionals to ride with officers.

    Though Kempf has seen many things in his 26 years with the department, he tries to keep a positive mindset on the job.

    “For all the bad things that we see, we truly do have an opportunity to help people in sometimes the worst day in their life,” he observed, “and so I always try to keep that mindset that I’m coming here and not to make anyone’s life worse but to try and help.

    “We might be that one instrumental part – that you can really be that compassionate shoulder to cry on on somebody’s worst day.”

    Fleisher said he will soon begin interviews for the next chief, someone who shares the township’s commitment to high standards, professionalism, effectiveness and cultivation of strong bonds in all corners of the community.

    In other news:

    • Ravi’s Rink at DeCou Fields has begun construction; the project is estimated to be completed within a few months.
    • Fleisher and council acknowledged the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, and several council members also attended a day of service at the JCC.

    The next council meeting will be on Monday, Oct. 28.