Basking Ridge Police Bring Kids Joy Through Drive-By Parades

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Basking Ridge Police are bringing joy to township kids by hosting drive-by parades on their birthdays during the new coronavirus outbreak.

"I think it's a great idea," said Bernards Township Jim Baldassare. "I think it is a bright spot for our kids during these challenging times when they are not allowed to go outside. They are able to see police go by with their friends in their cars and know they are not forgotten."

Basking Ridge mom Jocelyn O'Brien and Bernards Township Police Officer Tracy Baldassare are organizing the police drive-by parades and have also set up a Facebook page to gather requests at Bernards Twp Drive-By Joy : Coming Together While We’re Apart.

Video via Caleb Hough:

This weekend alone the police department participated in seven birthday party parades.

"We are coming in marked cars, lights, sirens, loud speakers where we play 'Happy Birthday.' We also make sure people stay in their cars and if they come out of their house that they stay on their property," Tracy Baldassare said. "We want to enforce and encourage people to practice social distancing to make sure this doesn’t turn into something we can no longer do."

The parades include Bernards Township Police Officers along with PBA Local 357 members, community members and even Mayor Baldassare made an appearance as well. Some members even make signs to hang outside their cars.

For more information to sign up for a parade or to participate in a parade join the Facebook group at Bernards Twp Drive-By Joy : Coming Together While We’re Apart.

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