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According to Barnegat Police Department, on October 18th at 5:39pm, they agency received a call for a missing 82 year old male (Leslie Shaffer) of Barnegat. Shaffer was last seen in the area of Nautilus Drive/Cloverdale Park.
The
Barnegat Police Department mobilized resources and began a search of the area. Officers were able to check video surveillance footage from Cloverdale Park and confirmed that Mr. Shaffer had walked into the wooded area of
Cloverdale Park.
Barnegat officers requested the assistance of our law enforcement partners to multiply both the available equipment and the number of boots on the ground conducting the search.
In accordance with policy and State directives, a request was made for activation of the State’s Urban Search and Rescue Task Force, a part of the State of New Jersey’s Search and Rescue Program. That program, a function of the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management, is commanded by personnel from the New Jersey State Police.
New Jersey is one of only two states where search and rescue falls under the jurisdiction of the State Office of Emergency Management.
The Heritage Point community generously offered the use of the Heritage Point South Clubhouse for use as a command post.
At the peak of the search, some 80 personnel from 15 agencies and organizations were engaged in the operation. Personnel used UAVs (drones), mounted units (horses), all-terrain vehicles, K9s, and a New Jersey State Police helicopter.
After an exhaustive search, one of the multi-jurisdictional search teams located Mr. Shaffer in a heavily wooded area at 2:34pm on October 19th. Mr. Shaffer was conscious, but was unable to stand or walk. He was transported to Southern Ocean Medical Center.
Chief Keith A. Germain thanked the many people and organizations who assisted in the search.
“This was a difficult search in cold weather and over unforgiving terrain. Despite that, dedicated personnel from all of these agencies came together as a team and worked against the clock to ensure a good outcome, ” said Germain.
Germain further thanked the New Jersey State Police and Office of Emergency Management.
“The expertise of NJ OEM and the State Police in bringing significant experience and resources to bear no doubt played a major role in our ability to find Mr. Shaffer in time.”
