Members of the Lakewood Police Department took part Saturday in the 2026 Special Olympics Polar Bear Plunge in Seaside Heights, joining hundreds of participants who braved the frigid Atlantic Ocean to raise money and awareness for athletes with intellectual disabilities.

The department’s contingent included officers from several specialized units, among them the water rescue team and the K-9 unit, who joined other law enforcement officers and community members in the annual fundraising tradition.

The Polar Bear Plunge is a longstanding winter event organized to support Special Olympics programs, with participants collecting pledges before taking a quick plunge into the cold ocean waters. The funds raised help provide year-round sports training and competition opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities across the state.