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Police Divisions /  Community Outreach Unit

The Amherst Police Department has a long and successful history of community policing. To further this agenda, Chief Chamberlain created the Community Outreach Unit in 2024. The Community Outreach Unit aims to build partnerships between the police department and the community to find solutions to problems and increase trust. Furthermore, the unit strives to educate the public about the police department's roles and responsibilities, emphasizing the importance of public cooperation in improving safety, crime prevention, and quality of life. The unit consists of one lieutenant, one Safety Education Officer, one Community Engagement and Support Canine Officer and Five School Resource Officers. The unit is also supported by numerous part-time assistant Safety Education Officers. Some examples of current community outreach programs that exist within the Town of Amherst Police Department include:

  • Town of Amherst Youth and Citizen Police Academies

  • Shop with a Cop
    • This program provides a fun filled day for a number of children and seniors in need throughout the Town of Amherst while creating positive relationships with law enforcement. The participating children and seniors are identified by schools, youth organizations, and social services agencies. On the day of the event, uniformed officers from the Amherst Police Department volunteer their time to be with the children and seniors for a meal and shopping.

  • Food drive
    • Over the course of a selected 7 day period, the Community Outreach Unit organizes a town wide food drive. Residents and businesses wishing to donate food simply leave donations on their porch and call a non-emergency number. Officers then respond and collect the food. At the end of the drive the food is donated to Feedmore WNY and distributed to families in need. This one event generates an average of 2700 pounds of food per year.

  • Chili Cook off
    • Local first responders compete in an annual chili competition that is judged by the public. A suggested donation of food or toys are accepted at the door and then dropped off to a local charity after the event.

  • Skate with a Cop
    • Officers from the Amherst Police Department participate in an open ice skate event with the community at the Amherst Northtown Center.

  • Annual Little League Challenger Law Enforcement Day
    • Officers spend the day playing ball with athletes from the Little League Challenger Baseball League. The league is an adaptive baseball program for kids and adults with physical and developmental challenges.

  • Badges on the Boarder
    • The Badges on the Border Torch Run is a Special Olympics event that takes place in Niagara Falls, New York. The Torch Run carries the ‘Flame of Hope” across the Rainbow Bridge into Canada, with multiple law enforcement agencies participating alongside WNY Special Olympic Athletes.

  • Crisis Intervention Team
    • This program is staffed by specially trained officers and supervisors. These officers train and work together with representatives from Crisis Services of Erie County responding to and following up on calls involving individuals with mental health issues. Many of the most dangerous and complicated calls we respond to involve individuals with some level of mental illness. The goal of this program is to do everything possible to deescalate these encounters and work collaboratively to solve problems.

  • Halloween “BOOTASTIC BASH”
    • The Community Outreach Unit hosts a Halloween event at the Community Policing and Training Facility every late October. This event includes a kid-friendly haunted house with trick-or-treating, Halloween-themed games, and costume contests.

  • EASTER “EGGSTRAVAGANZA”
    • The Community Policing and Training Facility hosts an annual Easter egg hunt in April. Guests are divided into age groups and search a designated area of the building for Easter eggs. The event also includes an Easter-themed movie, games, a coloring contest, and an appearance by the Easter Bunny.

About Amherst

The Town of Amherst was established in 1818 and celebrated its 200th Anniversary in 2018. The town has a geographical area of 53.6 square miles and a population of greater than 122,000.

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  • General Information:
    (716) 631-7000
  • Email:
    toainfo@amherst.ny.us
  • Address:
    Municipal Building (Town Hall)
  • 5583 Main Street
  • Williamsville, NY 14221


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