Scene Around: Rumson Cops Run Toward Suicide Prevention

A dank, dark Sunday didn’t stop those running for the cause of shining a light on suicide prevention awareness in the annual Ridge Road Run 5K. And some of Rumson’s finest were among the many sprinting into the support effort — specifically, three police officers.

“The Rumson PBA sponsored a team, including Sgt. (Bryan) Dougherty, Patrolman Donald Morse and Patrolman Strohmenger. Great job representing an important cause.”
Rumson police in a social media statement

Held in Little Silver and hosted by the Ridge Road Alliance, formerly Ridge Road Run, the run is the three-high school organization’s way of fostering a better understanding of mental illness and suicide via the building “of a stronger community with each other,” the Alliance’s website says.

Students from the three area high schools, Rumson-Fair Haven Regional (RFH), Red Bank Regional (RBR) and Red Bank Catholic (RBC) “put school rivalries aside to come together as one community” for the cause, to do all possible to avert mental illness crises. To accomplish this, the students strive to “build a stronger community with each other, and raise money for our schools to be used for mental health awareness and educational purposes.”

It’s all about putting and end to the negative mental health stigma by understanding it better through education and ultimate suicide prevention. And the organization, through donations and the run sponsorships bolsters the cause by backing the effort in the schools and through various mental health organizations.

For more information about the Alliance and ways to help, click here.