The words “Keep Kids Alive, Drive 25” represent a community’s commitment to safety and is a national non-profit organization founded in 1998 to educate motorists, pedestrians and cyclists to practice behaviors that keep all safe along roadways. Toms River is no different and to one dedicated Class I officer, the signs with that phrase have become a symbol of something else: the reason he’s no longer a part of the local law enforcement agency.
After nearly nine years of service, Todd Garris, a Class I Special Law Enforcement Officer (SLEO I) with the Toms River Police Department (TRPD), was not reappointed. He believes his dedication to the “Drive 25” program and the placement of those very signs played a role in why he no longer has the job he loved.
Todd’s troubles began on April 7, 2024. While checking on signs along Indian Hill Road in his marked police vehicle, he was stopped by Daniel Rodrick, who demanded his name and questioned the presence of the signs, asking if there had been speeding complaints. Todd explained the signs were placed based on resident requests.
Five days later, forty of the “Drive 25” signs vanished from Indian Hill and McGuire Roads. A subsequent investigation revealed Warren “Drew” Chabot, the Chief of Staff to Daniel Rodrick driving a township vehicle, had removed the signs. They were later found stashed in the vehicle and parked in the township garage. Todd claims the incident and the ensuing investigation, appeared to be the catalyst for the reason he wasn’t reappointed.
According to Todd, he first learned that he was in danger of losing his reappointment to the department in September of 2024. Toms River Police Acting Chief Peter Sundack was informed that the mayor had expressed his intention not to reappoint him as a Class I officer. Despite reassurances from Sundack that the matter had been resolved, on January 3, 2025, Todd was informed by Sundack that the mayor had made the unilaterial decision not to reappoint him as a Class 1 Officer, with no explanation. Attached is a response to a recent OPRA request that provides a December 31, 2024 email from Sundack to Attorney Peter Pascarella, with copy to Drew Chabot, Business Administrator Jonathan Salonis, and Daniel Rodrick, that includes Sundack’s January 1, 2025 list of Special Law Enforcement Officers, including Class 1, that included Todd’s name. Included in this OPRA response on page 7 is the “final” list dated January 7, 2025 that does NOT include Todd’s name. Once again, Daniel Rodrick followed through with his threat and vendetta and Todd Garris was terminated by Daniel Rodrick because Todd Garris did his job.