MANSFIELD: Donations helping police acquire new equipment

MANSFIELD — The Police Department has used funds generated through recycling unwanted clothes to purchase new equipment for the department.
"Nothing is set in stone, but we are always looking at where we can leverage our efforts and what will help meet the needs of the community," said Chief Ron Mulhall on Sept. 4.
He said the department has received "a great response and feedback" from the residents and community in general on how effective it has been.
"The radar display trailer has been a huge success in both its effectiveness in calming traffic where it is deployed and in the level of support the community has voiced for it," he said.
The department began using the new radar display trailer on Aug. 19.
"We moved it from Main Street and we’ve used it in one of the developments," he said. "We have it now out on Mansfield East Road by the school campuses for the opening of school."
It will be moving around throughout the township, he added.
Earlier this year, the Police Department asked for support from the community to place unwanted clothing in collection bins, which were placed throughout the township. The department used the money generated by the donations to purchase a speed display trailer that is being used to address speeding complaints and other traffic related issues within the township, according to the Police Department’s Facebook page.
The display can also be used as a variable message sign. It will be used to help inform motorists and the community of important information, according to the department Facebook page.
The chief said the initiative started in May.
The department has placed nine clothing donation boxes throughout the township, including in the parking area of the Country Walk Park off of Fieldcrest Drive, the township parking lot behind the police station (near the Public Works yard) off of East Main Street and Atlantic Avenue, the Civic Club on Route 206 north near Hedding Road, the parking area of Hedding Park, and the parking area of Georgetown Park in the Mapleton development. The bins were branded with the department’s logo and the message "Support Your Local Police."
The chief said that the department is looking to add another bin or two along the Route 130 corridor.
"We had other clothing bins for several years but the money was not able to be used at our discretion based on the needs we faced and the funding received per bin was substandard," he said. "The previous clothing bins we had, the money was earmarked and it wasn’t really ours so we were very limited on how we could use it."
"We have a lot more freedom to use the money where the need is," he said.
The vendor is American Recycling Technologies Inc. and it recycles recovered clothing in three ways. Aome of the clothes are sorted and donated to the needy or higher quality clothing is sold in bulk to organizations that sell to those who cannot afford new clothing. Clothing that is unusable is washed and sold for industrial use. Any leftover clothing is used in the auto industry as seat stuffing for large trucks.
According to American Recycling Technologies, Inc website, its mission is to promote community conscious by encouraging the public to recycle unwanted clothing. This program is a partnership of private, public and community organizations thinking globally and acting locally.Since 1993, we have diverted used clothing from landfills to raise funds in excess of $10 million dollars for various charities, public service and municipalities by placing over 1,000 containers in Connecticut, New Jersey and New York. Our recycling containers are placed in high traffic areas, which are identified with logos of selected charities. With a guaranteed 24-hour response time, we insure that our containers surroundings are maintained in a safe and attractive manner, according to its website."The department raised $13,500 for the first year," the chief said. He added that it’s an advance payment.
When they are branded with another organization they take a portion of the proceeds so this way here it’s fully given to the police department, he added.The cost including delivery of the bins was $14,730.Chief Mulhall thanked everyone that has donated unwanted clothing.
"We ask for their continued support," he said.