Started by Officer Pam Slaven in 2014, the camp is a way for the department to give back to the community and give the children an inside look at law enforcement. Campers get to ride in police cars, utilize specialized police equipment, learn self-defense tactics, and physical agility. They also have exposure to the motorcycle unit, EMS Ambulance, SWAT team, fire suppression vehicles, obstacle course as well as a field trip to the Ortley Beach Lifeguard station.
The Junior Police Camp has grown to 60 recruits a year. We will continue to build positive relationships within our community, starting with our incredible youth.
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“I want to thank a great team and this awesome group of 50 kids. They exceeded our expectations. Have a wonderful summer and a great school year!” ~ Officer Slaven 2014
Youth Camp
Dear Toms River Community,
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Many have recently reached out to us looking for the 2025 Junior Police Camp application on our website. We love hearing how much your children have enjoyed the program—it’s exactly the kind of impact we hoped to make when we began supporting the camp a decade ago.
Unfortunately, we regret to inform you that the camp will not be held in 2025. Despite our willingness to continue funding this awesome experience for the children, the new township administration has chosen to prohibit the police department from participating in any community outreach activities, like neighborhood watch, community speaking events, and more; effectively ending the camp for now.
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For 10 years, this program stood as a model of positive engagement between law enforcement and the youth of Toms River. It’s disappointing to see it cut short—not because of lack of support or funding, but because of a shift in priorities at Town Hall.
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While we share in your disappointment, please know how much we’ve valued the opportunity to support the youth of Toms River over the past 10 years, and will continue in ways we can. The Junior Police Camp was always about building trust, leadership, and community—and we remain hopeful that future leadership will once again recognize the value of those goals.
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The Toms River Police Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit that was established in 2004 to assist the police department and officers in any expenses beyond the scope of the taxpayer dollar. Started by Chief Mastronardy and continued through Chief Little‘s administration, the Police foundation has grown to support all community outreach by the department as well as fund scholarships for local students. We will continue to support the Toms River Police Department in any way that we can.
While the current township administration denies the existence of the police foundation, we are here for the officers, the department, and the community, and have no plans on going anywhere.
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We sincerely appreciate all of the support from this great community!
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Warm regards,
Toms River Police Foundation
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