Yesterday, Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester), Manchester Twp. Police Chief Antonio Ellis, Ocean County Commissioners Robert Arace and Jennifer Bacchione, Manchester Twp. Mayor Joseph Hankins, and other local elected officials formally unveiled Manchester Twp. Police Department’s nine brand-new police vehicles and animal control van, purchased with federal funds secured by Smith during the congressional appropriations process.

                Manchester Township Chief of Police Antonio Ellis, who delivered brief remarks during Tuesday’s event, said: “Today is about more than new vehicles. It’s about commitment, partnership, and delivering for the residents of Manchester Township.

                “At the end of the day, this is about people. It’s about our officers having the equipment they need to respond safely and ensuring they return home safely to their families,” he continued.

                “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 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.”

                Smith, who has represented Manchester Twp. in Congress for several decades, secured $1,148,000 in federal funding for Manchester Twp. Police Department’s fleet augmentation initiative through the annual congressional appropriations process.

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