Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Maple Shade police detail March explosion probe and rising Narcan deployments; Hope One bus to visit town
Summary
The Maple Shade Police Department reported on a March 10 explosion, a multi‑agency investigation and ongoing public‑safety programs including diversion for juveniles, 25 Narcan deployments in 2024 (nine so far in 2025) and an upcoming Hope One resource bus visit offering Narcan kits and recovery services.
The Maple Shade Police Department told council members that work is ongoing after an explosion reported March 10 near the railroad tracks at Front and Lipmancott, and outlined several public‑safety programs and overdose‑response efforts.
The police chief credited Detective Corporal Jeff Engel and Detective Sergeant Scott Wallace for quickly gathering surveillance footage, identifying a possible suspect and coordinating with the New Jersey State Police hazmat team, the FBI bomb unit, the county sheriff’s office and the county prosecutor. The chief said investigators executed a search of the suspect’s residence on March 12 and recovered multiple items as part of the probe.
The department also described its station‑house adjustment diversion program for juvenile offenders, which diverts certain youths from formal processing by arranging community service and restorative steps with the chaplain and school resource officer. The chief said juvenile fights and the sharing of intimate images remain leading reasons for referrals to the diversion program.
On overdose response, the chief reported 25 Narcan deployments in 2024, with July, August and September the busiest months, and nine deployments so far in 2025. The department practices a ‘‘leave‑behind’’ approach when a subject refuses transport after revival and runs a weekly straight‑to‑treatment program in the municipal lobby in coordination with the prosecutor’s office and peer‑recovery resources.
Maple Shade will host the county’s Hope One bus on Thursday, April 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the municipal lot; the bus offers free Narcan kits and training, chaplain services, peer recovery specialists, on‑site photo IDs for housing and treatment applications, disease testing and other wraparound resources. Community affairs officer Misty Weiss organized the visit, the chief said.
The chief also announced a family‑oriented 'bring your kid to work' day for the department on April 24 and thanked officers involved in the explosion investigation for what he described as “old‑fashioned police work.”
