Montgomery Police and Health Department Team Up to Educate Teens on Substance Abuse Through Interactive Program
Official Press Release Dated June 9 2025
Montgomery Township Police Chief Silvio Bet is pleased to announce that the Montgomery Township Police in partnership with the Montgomery Health Department are continuing to show their support and dedication to Teen Alcohol and Drug Awareness through the ThinkFast Interactive.
Chief Bet advised that on June 6th the Police Department will be partnering with the Montgomery Health Department for their next THINKFAST interactive program, the Vaping and Substance abuse edition. The event will take place at the High School for the freshman and sophomore classes. This program focuses on educating teens and raising awareness about the dangers of e-cigarettes, including the harmful chemicals they contain, such as nicotine. The goal is to prevent e-cigarette initiation and ultimately, tobacco use altogether. Additionally educating teens on addiction, the negative effects of drugs and alcohol on the body, how drugs and alcohol affect the brain, and prescription drugs.
THINKFAST is an evidence-informed interactive program developed in 1997 which provides an engaging and educational program that addresses important topics such as underage drinking, drug use, bullying, traffic safety, and distracted driving. The program is utilized to reach targeted audiences to present important information and awareness in a fun and entertaining manner. Audience Response Technology (wireless keypads) is used to connect the audience to the message and promote team play. The goal is to create an exciting and captivating program that will keep the targeted audience’s attention and focus from start to finish by combining custom awareness content with cutting edge technology, age-appropriate entertainment, elaborate staging, and a charismatic host to create an unforgettable experience. The combination of knowledge-sharing and critical thinking spurs more than just momentary or superficial shift in the attitudes and habits of the attendees, enabling progress that endures.
On February 19th, 2025 The Montgomery Township Police utilized grant funding to sponsor an experiential awareness program (THINKFAST) for the Montgomery High School Junior class to address distracted driving and teen driver safety. The funding for the event was received through The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, and The Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office.
Chief Bet stated that the Montgomery Police Department and the Montgomery Health Department, who are sponsoring the funding of the program, are committed to the important role of cultivating a healthier community and fostering education and awareness to our community’s youth population. Chief Bet said “Our continued initiatives symbolize our commitment to building upon relationships between the Police Department and our community by fostering a culture of awareness that benefits all community members.”
Photo Credit: Nicholas Mistretta/headlinenewsmontgomery.com