The Coaster

Allenhurst Police Chief Robert Richter

The Allenhurst Police Department is a service oriented one, with traditions that most towns would envy.

Chief Robert Richter made sure he continued those traditions over the last 11 years while he has served as chief.

One of the unique traditions is having a police officer assigned to follow the school bus every morning and afternoon to make sure children make it to school and home again safely.

It gives parents a sense of security knowing someones watching their kids and we dont worry about the wrong people watching them, Richter said. Its been going on a long time, before I was chief.

Coaster Photo: An Allenhurst police car follows school bus dropping off students at their homes.

Another service officers provide, if they are able, is catching small animals invading residents property.

We do a lot of things, he said. We have animal snares in our cars. Were not animal control officers, but if we can help we do.

And that includes catching bats. Officers also have nets in their cars.

Bats love to get in houses, especially after the summer. They fly past you and you swing the net, the chief said. We are very much a service oriented department.

Richter said his officers will also pick up dogs off the street

Its better to get the dog off the street than having the dog create an accident, he said.

But the chief was quick to add that if a situation is beyond the officers control they will call in the Humane Society.

The department also runs a voluntary program for senior citizens who call in daily before a certain time.

The program is called Operation Reassurance.

If police do not hear from them, be it a single person or a couple, they will call them to make sure all is well.

Its for people who may not have the capabilities they used to.

Allenhurst police also go out of their way to welcome new residents who move into town.

Within a few days of someone new moving in, an officer will visit the home and ask if residents would like to give them contact information to be used in an emergency.

They dont have to give it to us, he said. In case something happens we have their contact information at work.

Total population in Allenhurst is 800 to 900 year round and up to about 2,400 during the summer months.

Richter said a couple of special officers are added during the summer but the department does not have to make significant changes.

Its a pretty tame crowd that comes in, he said laughing.

Richter said maintaining the low crime rate is his daily goal.

One of the ways they do that is having a constant police presence on the streets of Allenhurst.

Our officers are kept busy keeping the crime rate down, he added.

Richter said the accident rate in the borough has been kept low as well.

Seeing the police with their lights on, it lets people know the police are watching. The high visibility dramatically cut down on accidents and crime.

Because of the nature of their small town Allenhurst police are able to keep a close eye on residents.

They know whose car belongs in what driveway. They can see if something is not right, he said.

Richter grew up in Manasquan and attended Brookdale Community College studying criminal justice.

After leaving Brookdale he was awarded one of two scholarships given by the Monmouth County Police Organization.

He had also worked as a special officer in Manasquan and Deal before being hired by Allenhurst 26 years ago.

By all accounts it seems like a dream job.

Both of the mayors have been great, he said. And its a good council to work with.

Richter lives in Brick with his wife Karen and two daughters.

One of his daughters will be driving soon.

Asked if he gave his children any advice when they began driving he said, Behave yourself, because you are not getting any breaks from me.

Richter credits his department for the smoothness of the work environment.

The people who work with me are great officers, he said. A chief is only as good as his department.

Richter also said he runs the department on the golden rule principal.

It might sound corny, but even when we arrest people we try to be as nice as we possibly can, he said. I dont care who you are. They like to be treated with respect.

But occasionally his officers have had to restraint those they are arresting.

A couple have sustained injuries, usually inflicted by people under the influence, but thats why Richter said the officers are always prepared for anything.

We are equipped to handle them, he said. We dont want to become complacent.

Richter plans on keeping his job until his youngest is out of college, but then he and his wife will most likely head north to Binghamton, New York where they own property.

The chief said he wants to build a home and open a small sporting goods store on the property.

In his off hours Chief Richter is a big fan of comedies, which is illustrated on a bookcase in his office filled with figures based on comedy figures such as Bart Simpson being arrested and Police Officer Cartman from South Park.

My daughters gave me most of those, he said.

Contact Joanne Papaianni at joanne@thecoaster.net.

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 2:18 pm and is filed under Allenhurst. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.