HERO Campaign and Egg Harbor Township Police Unveil 20th HERO Patrol Car
‘Rolling Billboard’ Encourages Use of Designated Drivers
Egg Harbor Twp., NJ (August 1, 2023) – The John R. Elliott HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers has partnered with the Egg Harbor Township Police Department to unveil the Campaign’s 20th HERO patrol vehicle to promote the use of safe and sober designated drivers. Immediately after its unveiling, the Egg Harbor Township HERO SUV made its public debut during the township’s National Night Out celebration on Tuesday night.
“While our partnership with each participating police department is important, it is especially meaningful for our family to have this HERO vehicle on the streets of EHT, our hometown, where John grew up,” said Bill Elliott, father of the namesake of the HERO Campaign. “The timing for this HERO patrol vehicle to make its debut at National Night Out was fantastic. So many community members will see these HERO-wrapped vehicles and be reminded to be or use a designated driver to make sure everyone gets home safely.”
The HERO Campaign began in Egg Harbor Township where the Elliott family lives, and John graduated from EHT High School as class president in 1996. The 22-year-old naval officer was killed by a drunk driver in July 2000, two months after graduating from the United States Naval Academy, where he was named the “Outstanding HERO” of his graduating class. He was driving home from Annapolis, MD for his mother’s birthday celebration at the time of his death. The Elliotts and friends established the HERO Campaign to prevent drunk driving by promoting the use of safe and responsible designated drivers.
The EHT HERO patrol vehicle is a Ford Explorer from the Egg Harbor Township police fleet that has been wrapped with the HERO Campaign’s bright blue and yellow logo and life-saving slogan, “Be a HERO. Be a Designated Driver.” The HERO-wrapped patrol vehicle is now a “rolling billboard” for the HERO Campaign as officers drive it on traffic duty, to special events, and to area schools.
“The police department of Egg Harbor Township, home to the late Navy Ensign John R. Elliott and his family, is honored to partner with the HERO Campaign,” said EHTPD Chief Frederic Spano. “We are so honored to finally have a designated patrol vehicle bearing the worthy HERO branding as a testament to John R. Elliott and his family. It is my belief that over the years, we, the Egg Harbor Township Police Department, have embraced the spirit of the HERO Campaign by being vigilant in our efforts to deter impaired driving by continually reminding the public about the dangers and consequences of driving impaired. And for those that fail to identify with this message, we remove impaired drivers from the roadways by arresting them to make the roadways safer for those that identify with safe and responsible driving.”
Egg Harbor Township’s HERO SUV is now the 20th vehicle in the HERO Campaign’s fleet of patrol/emergency vehicles from municipalities throughout southern New Jersey, all of which have adopted the HERO Campaign with DUI prevention vehicles. Other towns with HERO-wrapped patrol vehicles in service include Atlantic City, Evesham Township, Galloway, Linwood, Little Egg Harbor Township, Lower Township, Margate, Middle Township, North Wildwood, Ocean City, Longport, Sea Girt, Sea Isle City, Pleasantville, Ventnor, and Vineland. Another will soon be unveiled in Somers Point. The HERO Campaign’s vehicle wrap program is expanding through a grant from the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety (NJDHTS).
In addition to Egg Harbor Township’s new HERO-wrapped police vehicle, the township’s EMS Humvee is also on the road with a HERO wrap. The HERO Campaign has also recently completed a wrap of a police highway safety trailer.
The HERO Campaign is now saving lives throughout New Jersey and several neighboring states, including Pennsylvania and Delaware, through its partnerships with law enforcement; schools and colleges; federal and state highway safety organizations; the licensed beverage industry; and professional sports teams. Since its inception in 2000, the HERO Campaign has grown into a major movement to prevent impaired driving that has received national recognition and awards. It has also helped to reduce alcohol-related fatalities and incidents, including a 20-percent reduction in DUI fatalities in New Jersey and other states over the past decade. For more information visit HEROcampaign.org or call 609-626-3880.
