The Summit Police Department’s trading card program is returning for the 20th anniversary of the program’s inception. Originally launched in 2004, the program is designed to foster communication and trust between members of the Police Department and young Summit residents. This will be the fifth installment of the program.
Each sworn and civilian member of the Summit Police Department is issued a trading card with their name, position, and photograph on the front, with a brief biographical statement on the back. Children are encouraged to collect all 56 trading cards by approaching police officers and staff and asking for their card.
“Our goal for this program is for children to become comfortable with approaching an officer in town and initiating a conversation to ask for their trading card,” explains Summit Police Chief Steven Zagorski. “We are always working to strengthen our relationship with the residents of Summit, and this makes the process more personal. The trading card program will also help familiarize our younger residents with the names and faces of our officers, so that perhaps in a time of need, it is easy for them to reach out to an officer for help.”
Trading cards will be available beginning Wednesday, September 18, 2024, until Monday, June 30, 2025. Every two weeks, a new group of featured cards will be available at the Police Department Records Bureau window at City Hall until 4PM Monday through Friday. The featured trading cards for September 18 through September 20 include Mayor Elizabeth Fagan, Chief Steven Zagorski, Captain Ryan Peters, and Captain Michael Treiber.
A prize drawing lottery will be held in August 2025 for children in grades Pre-K through fifth grade. Children who have collected 20, 40, or all 56 trading cards will be entered into the raffle once, twice, or three times based on the number of cards they have collected. The trading card program is funded by the Summit Elks Lodge 1246.
For more information, including program and lottery guidelines, a list of featured cards, and a poster of all 56 cards, please visit www.cityofsummit.org/tradingcards or contact the Summit Police Department at 908-273-0051.