The Norcross Foundation and Sidney and Sandy Brown Foundation/NFI Foundation combined to donate $430,000 to the Camden County Police Department to support the expansion of the department’s new drone program.
The figure represents the largest private donation ever received by the CCPD, as both entities gave the department $215,000 each to help the department purchase new equipment.
Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr. said the donations will be invaluable to the department.
“The Camden County Police Department has been on the forefront of innovation in policing since the agency’s inception in 2012, and the drone program is a prime example of that,” he said. “This generous donation will support the department in expanding this program through the purchase of new drones and software, which will in turn support criminal investigations and crime prevention throughout the City of Camden.”
The CCPD’s drone program, which was operationalized six months ago, provides the department and officers with eye-in-the-sky support in a variety of situations. The drones have been used extensively in tracking stolen vehicles, managing large event logistics, trailing all-terrain vehicles to get them off city streets, locating missing people, identifying illegal dumping and recovering illegal firearms.
Police Chief Gabriel Rodriguez emphasized the success of the drone program thus far – and noted the importance of expansion.
“These donations will go a long way for us to purchase the hardware and software for at least two more drones for our program,” he said. “Having the ability to launch these drones from rooftops across the city is an ideal investment for us, and allows us to achieve our objectives without having to borrow equipment from other agencies. These new resources have already been utilized in several situations, assisting us in recovering illegal firearms and intercepting ATVs.”
Brown, CEO of NFI Industries, highlighted his organization’s commitment to supporting progress in the city of Camden.
“A decade ago, my family and NFI made a commitment to Camden’s future when NFI decided to move its headquarters and our employees to the city,” he said. “Since that time, public safety has continued to dramatically improve, setting an example for the rest of the world of what can be achieved. We are proud to make this donation today so that the police force has the newest and greatest technology available to continue to make every neighborhood safer.”
Norcross, chairman of Cooper University Health Care and MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper, thanked Rodriguez and the entire Camden County Police Department for their dedication to the city.
“Camden has been transformed from the country’s poorest, most violent city to a place where every neighborhood is safer because the city and county have thought about public safety in a different, more strategic and collaborative way,” he said. “I am pleased to make this donation today and continue to support the amazing work Police Chief Gabriel Rodriguez and the entire Camden police department are doing.”
Camden City Mayor Victor Carstarphen discussed how the drone program has become a key component of the department’s operations.
“Drones have become an incredibly useful policing tool and a proven force multiplier for many departments,” he said. “Our Camden County Police Department drone program is now the largest law enforcement operation in South Jersey. The CCPD will always look to leverage new technology as a key component of our public safety strategy.
“We are grateful to the Norcross Foundation and NFI Industries for making this the largest private donation in CCPD history. Camden will be proud to continue to lead the way as a model for 21st century policing.”
The Camden County Police Department drone program is the largest law enforcement drone operation in South Jersey. Up until this donation, the unit had ten pilots and seven drones working in the city. Currently, three drones are launched from rooftops, giving the agency an advantage when an emergency occurs anywhere in the city. The current program has been mirrored after the New York City Police Department’s drone initiative.
