Warm vibes and cold ice cream when cops and kids get together in Millville

MILLVILLE -- In the Oakview Apartment complex in Millville, the silence was interrupted by an ice cream truck. The difference from any other regular time was that it was accompanied by the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office. Oakview Apartments, along with Delsea Village Apartments, were the first sites to benefit from the Cops, Kids and Cones Initiative.

The Prosecutor's Office was able to create the program through the Matthew L. Tarentino Community Policing Grant, named after a detective who died in a car accident after returning home from work. The office received $5,381 from the grant to fund the event. Each child was given a ticket for free ice cream and a beach ball.

"We are very grateful that the Attorney General's Office supports community policing throughout the state and we are really proud that we are the only prosecutor's office that received a grant," said Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae. "A lot of people don't realize that the Prosecutor's Office is a law office and police department in and of itself. We have 40 police officers that are also investigators. We have an obligation, just like municipalities, to be out in the community and interact with adults and kids in non-confrontational ways and positive ways, so they know that we are their partner in helping to keep their kids safe and helping them to make healthy choices."

Webb-McRae added that this event was a nice enhancement to the back-to-school initiative where the Prosecutor's Office goes out to communities across the county and talk about topics regarding kids safety.

Millville Patrolman Rich Kott, who helps out with the Millville Police Athletic League, was one of the officers there to assist with the event.

"It's great," Kott said. "We just planned this in about a week. We have probably 75 kids with no notice. We tried to come out here earlier, but no one knew. They saw everyone out here. I've been walking door to door just letting everyone know and having a good time with it."

Residents in the apartment complexes were a little surprised to see police knocking on the doors but were glad it was for a good reason.

"It took me by surprise," said Elyanne Santiago. Santiago's daughter Hazel and son Noah were a couple of the children who went outside for the ice cream.  "They knocked on my door and told me it was for the children and it's really nice that they did this for the kids."

John Smith, Chris Conwell and Jenell Williams all went to the ice cream giveaway at Oakview Apartments. He and his daughters were very close to all of the action.

"It's a beautiful thing for the kids," said Smith. "I came home and saw everyone in front of my door. I got my girls and brought them out here. They said we did not have any money. I told them it's your lucky day. We didn't have to worry about it. We just needed a ticket."

"It feels good to see the kids and everybody from all different types and colors come together," added Conwelll. "We don't get a lot of this. It's good to know that we can all come together for a good thing."

Williams summed up the event with her observations of what was going on.

"It feels really good seeing someone give back to the community There's always drama, violence or negative energy out here," Williams stated. "It brings a positive vibe and energy. It feels good and there's free ice cream, who wouldn't want like that?"

The Prosecutor's Office hopes to plan some more dates for the Kids, Cops and Cones Initiative in the near future.

Chris Franklin can be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @cfranklinnews. Find NJ.com on Facebook