Thank you, Congressman Kean, for creating this platform and for the opportunity to
speak.
On January 23rd , 3 weeks after being sworn-in as Bernards Township Mayor, I made an
official statement at our Township Committee meeting on the Public Safety topic,
specifically pertaining to resident concerns of burglaries, break-ins, and thefts that
occurred in our town. Bernards Township has been noted for many years as being of
the safest towns in NJ by independent organizations, but our residents are concerned
by the uptick of home burglaries associated with car thefts that began in the summer of
2023.
In Bernards Township, resident safety is our highest concern and expectation of our
community. While this issue affects many towns and flows from policy choices made at
higher levels of government over which Bernards itself has no control, I assured
residents that we took immediate action and continue to take action to protect our
residents.
As I attended a police presentation, one of many, on January 18th to a neighborhood
that was repeatedly targeted by criminals who burglarized homes to steal cars, I learned
from one of our Detectives that a Bernards Twp stolen vehicle was indeed identified in
Ghana, signaling the potential federal jurisdiction and need to stop the exportation and
thus the disrupting the demand of these stolen vehicles.
Let me highlight action we have taken to date and what’s in-process:
Our Police Department
1. Under the leadership of our Police Chief Jon Burger, our police department
increased its patrols to deter and combat these sorts of crimes in locations and at
times when they tend to occur. This includes our Chief and his leadership also
completing early hour patrols.
2. Our BTPD created and implemented 3 new tools for our community. These include
a Home Security Checklist, Awareness of police car features, and CityProtect, a new
online platform.
3. Many neighborhood presentations, at the request of residents, have been completed
by our police department, including a TownHall presentation being held today at 7
pm.
Bernards Township Committee
1. The Township Committee authorized and brought forward the planned purchase of
APLRs that are in the months-long process of installation. The Township Committee
is also in preliminary budget discussions that include the likely increase of
headcount to our police department and other safety-related investments.
2. We are working to adopt a town ordinance that protects our residents as well as
working with our state Assemblywomen LD-21 (Matsikoudis & Munoz A3806) to
support legislation that they have recently introduced.
Mayor
1. I held a Zoom call with Senator Bramnick on January 25th to discuss the state
perspective on this topic.
2. On February 5th, the Mayors from the Somerset Hills towns (Bedminster, Bernards
Twp, Bernardsville, Bridgewater, Far Hills, and PeaPack/Gladstone) met and formed
the Somerset Hills Public Safety Committee where we are working together with our
Police Chiefs to synergize our local efforts on this topic, including meeting today.
3. I am engaged with the Conference of Mayors on this topic and working to develop a
subcommittee to focus on bail reform and programs for youth.
I have to thank our outstanding police department, led by Chief Burger, for their tireless
work, day in and day out of keeping our residents safe.
I hope that you can see this is an issue that I am passionate about. While many think
of Bernards Township as an affluent town, I know it to be a group of people who have
worked hard to earn what they have. They deserve the right to live without fear of
someone coming into their home – especially with their family present, shattering their
sense of personal security, of feeling safe in their own home, for a criminal to just take
their things, and without any consequences.
Mayor Jen Asay