Pizza With A Cop Returns Thurs. 7/17/25 at Firehouse Playground

The Harrison Police Department will host a “Pizza With A Cop” event on Thursday, July 17, 2025, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at 7th Street and Wilhelm Street, also known as the Firehouse Playground in Harrison, New Jersey. This gathering marks the first event of the year in a continuing series led by the department’s Community Policing Unit, now under the leadership of Police Chief Stanley Titterington and Police Director Nicholas Breiner.

Now in its fourth year, the “Pizza With A Cop” initiative was originally launched under now-retired Chief David Strumolo and has quickly become a beloved tradition in Harrison. These events offer residents a chance to enjoy complimentary pizza and beverages while connecting with local law enforcement officers in a relaxed, family-friendly setting.

The program is rooted in the principles of Community Policing, a model supported by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs. This model promotes partnerships between police and community members to proactively identify and solve issues, build trust, and improve neighborhood safety and quality of life.

Harrison has a long legacy of community engagement by its police department. The philosophy of Community Policing stretches back to the 1990s and 2000s, when then Deputy Chief Patrick Minutillo spearheaded outreach efforts that included Naturalization Drives to help local residents apply for U.S. citizenship. These events were held in partnership with groups like the Harrison Fest Committee and the Centro Romeu Cascaes Portuguese American Community Center, providing fingerprinting services and volunteer support for applicants.

Today, Chief Titterington and Police Director Breiner are continuing this tradition with a renewed focus on community relationships. The Community Policing Unit’s ongoing initiatives, including this month’s Pizza With A Cop and the Harrison Junior Police Academy, demonstrate a strong commitment to transparency, outreach, and trust-building.

Running concurrently with Pizza With A Cop is the Harrison Junior Police Academy, taking place during the week of July 14, 2025. The academy offers eighth-grade students from Harrison a hands-on introduction to law enforcement, including interactive sessions with the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, Hudson County Sheriff’s Department, and New Jersey State Police, who have even landed helicopters in Library Park in past years. The academy also includes educational field trips to the Newark Mounted Police Unit and the World Trade Center Memorial Museum, facilitated by the Port Authority Police of NJ/NY.

Residents are encouraged to attend Thursday’s Pizza With A Cop event to enjoy food and conversation while getting to know the officers who serve their neighborhoods. The event exemplifies the department’s ongoing mission to keep Harrison safe through trust, transparency, and community partnerships.

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