Montclair State University Police Department Awarded Statewide Wellness and Resiliency Grant

The Montclair State University Police Department has been selected by the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General as a recipient of a 2026 Law Enforcement Wellness & Resiliency Grant, recognizing the department’s commitment to officer wellness, resilience, and long-term support initiatives.

The award was announced in May during the 2026 Excellence in Policing Awards Ceremony held at the Richard J. Hughes Justice Complex in Trenton by Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and Executive Director Isa M. Abbassi of the Office of Policing Strategies and Innovation (OPSI). The annual event honors outstanding service and innovation among law enforcement agencies across New Jersey while highlighting efforts that strengthen relationships between police agencies and the communities they serve.

The Montclair State University Police Department was one of fifteen agencies selected through a highly competitive statewide process that included more than 150 law enforcement agencies competing for a share of $500,000 in available grant funding.

About the Grant

The department was awarded $49,999.90 to support the continued development of comprehensive officer wellness programming focused on resilience, stress management, peer support, recovery, and healthy coping strategies. Funding will assist with training opportunities, educational materials and wellness resources including:

• Department-wide wellness event with a speaker focused on resilience, stress management, and trauma exposure
• Overtime funding to ensure full officer participation in trainings and wellness initiatives without impacting operations
• Strengthened peer support program with tools and resources to promote early intervention and internal support
• Implementation of ongoing wellness programming that supports stress reduction, recovery, and overall wellbeing
• Wellness kits and educational materials that reinforce healthy coping and daily wellness practices
• Expanded engagement to include officer families and retirees and strengthen long term support systems

“This funding will help us continue building a sustainable wellness program that recognizes the real impact stress, trauma, and burnout can have on law enforcement professionals,” said Timothy Fox, Associate Vice President and Chief of Police at Montclair. “Our goal is to provide meaningful support, practical resources, and a culture where wellness and resilience are prioritized for our officers, civilian staff, retirees, and families.”

Chief Fox expressed his appreciation for this grant to Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and also recognized the leadership of Isa M. Abbassi and Andrew Caggiano for their collaborative efforts to prioritize officer wellness initiatives throughout New Jersey law enforcement.

“The partnership between the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police and OPSI continues to demonstrate the importance of supporting the mental health and wellness of law enforcement professionals,” Chief Fox said. “President Andrew Caggiano and Executive Director Isa Abbassi deserve tremendous credit for helping make programs like this possible and for ensuring agencies across New Jersey have opportunities to strengthen wellness resources for their personnel and families.”

Chief Fox also acknowledged the contributions of Tisheka Allen, who leads the department’s Office of Community Resilience and Officer Wellness and played a critical role in both the development of the successful proposal and the department’s long-term wellness strategy.

“Tisheka was truly the driving force behind this initiative,” Chief Fox said. “Her passion for officer wellness, trauma-informed support, and building meaningful resources for our personnel helped turn this proposal into a reality. Just as importantly, she will play a key role in ensuring these funds are used in the most impactful and thoughtful way possible to benefit our officers, civilian staff, retirees, and their families.”

Allen has helped expand the department’s focus on wellness and resiliency by strengthening peer support efforts, developing wellness programming, and helping foster a culture where seeking support and prioritizing wellbeing are encouraged throughout the organization.

The department’s wellness initiatives reflect Montclair State University’s broader commitment to employee wellbeing, leadership development, and community-centered public safety.