As we come to the end of 2024, here’s a look back at the top stories in Lawrence Township.
A third study of the township’s firefighting program will examine whether the three volunteer fire companies should be consolidated and if so where should they be housed.
New fire station
Lawrence Township officials have been discussing the township’s firefighting program since 2017. Two studies have been completed – one that was released in 2020 and another that was released in 2023.
The studies offered assorted recommendations, including a recommendation to build a new fire station.
The 2020 study prepared by The Rodgers Group LLC did not suggest a specific site, but the 2023 study prepared by Cotter Strategies LLC recommended a location on township-owned land on the corner of Route 206 and West Long Drive.
Now, a third study is expected to be commissioned in January. It will examine two issues – whether the three volunteer fire companies should be consolidated and if so, where should they be housed.
The suggestion to build a fire station on the corner of Route 206 and West Long Drive drew fierce opposition from residents of the Long Acres neighborhood. The entrance to Long Acres is on West Long Drive.
Residents said they were concerned about a fire station’s impact on their property values and quality of life. Some of them questioned consultant Cotter Strategies LLC and the process by which it was chosen. They called for more transparency.
In response, the township’s Public Safety Coordinating Committee formed a subcommittee that recommended hiring another consultant – the third consultant to study the firefighting program in seven years.
A special Mayor’s Task Force has been appointed to help determine the future of the Lawrence Community Center, which has been vacant since October.
Lawrence Community Center
The Lawrence Community Center, which has been vacant since October, also is under the microscope. The building at 295 Eggerts Crossing Road – down the street from the New Jersey Army National Guard Armory – is owned by Lawrence Township.
The building at one time was known as the Lawrence Neighborhood Service Center. It has been a cornerstone of the Eggerts Crossing neighborhood since its inception in 1965, and later expanded its offerings to the broader Lawrence Township community.
The building has been empty since HomeFront Inc., which had leased it from the township for many years, relocated its services to its expanded headquarters at 1880 Princeton Ave. HomeFront provides food, shelter, clothing and other assistance to families in need.
A consultant has been hired to review the existing conditions in the building and make recommendations for repairs, maintenance and other kinds of work.
A special Mayor’s Task Force has been appointed to help determine the future use of the building. The task force, which will meet at least four times per year, held its first meeting Dec. 4.
The task force will advise the Lawrence Township Council of residents’ concerns, and address the mission statement and future vision of the center, according to a Township Council resolution creating the task force.
Centennial
The Lawrence Township Police Department celebrated its 100th birthday in 2024, including a special open house held in September.
The Lawrence Township Police Department was created in 1924, and consisted of Police Chief Joseph Leland Hopkins and six special officers. Today, there are about 60 police officers led by Police Chief Christopher Longo.
Meanwhile, Longo has announced his retirement as police chief. It takes effect Jan. 1, 2025. He has served as police chief since 2022, and his retirement caps off a 25-year career as a police officer. He is the ninth Lawrence Township police chief.
Longo is a lifelong Lawrence Township resident. He graduated from Lawrence High School in 1993 and began his career with the Lawrence Township Police Department in 1999 as a 9-1-1 dispatcher.
He rose through the ranks, serving as a patrolman, detective, sergeant and lieutenant before being promoted to police chief. He has won numerous departmental awards, including Supervisor of the Year in 2016.
Following Longo’s retirement, police Lieutenant Kevin Reading Jr. will fill in as the interim police chief until a new police chief is named later in 2025.
