Lawrence PD Joins Hero Campaign To Prevent Drunk Driving Deaths

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – The Lawrence Township Police Department has joined a nationwide campaign to prevent drunk driving deaths, Police Chief Chris Longo and Lt. RJ Laird said.

The “Hero Campaign” promotes the use of designated drivers. The campaign was established in memory of US Navy Ensign John R. Elliot from Little Egg Harbor Township, who lost his life to a drunk driver just two months after graduating from the US Naval Academy in July 2000.

As part of the effort, police departments and emergency services across New Jersey are turning 25 vehicles into rolling billboards through the HERO Patrol Car Program.

These cars will be wrapped in the HERO Campaign’s navy blue and yellow colors, featuring the message - “Be a HERO. Be a Designated Driver.”

This initiative is supported by a grant from the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety (NJDHTS).

The grant covers the entire cost of the vehicles’ graphics and with no cost to taxpayers.

Since 2000, over 40 percent of respondents in polls have reported using designated drivers because of the HERO Campaign, which has also contributed to a 20 percent reduction in alcohol-related motor vehicle fatalities and injuries.

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