Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, Middle Township police Chief Christopher Leusner wanted all state residents to know that nothing has changed when it comes to responding to domestic violence, child abuse and violent crime calls.
Leusner, who is also the president of the N.J. State Association of Chiefs of Police, participated Monday afternoon in a COVID-19 virtual town hall about law enforcement during National Police Week.
Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal, who also participated in the town hall, said domestic violence reporting numbers have decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is believed the crime is being underreported.
When it comes to domestic violence, child abuse and violent crime calls, police are responding, investigating and making arrests, like they aways have, Leusner said. Domestic violence advocates are still working, and Family Success Centers are still operational, he said.
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Gov. Phil Murphy was also a part of the virtual town hall. Ten police officers have lost their lives during the state’s battle with COVID-19, Murphy said, An 11th officer, Charles “Robb” Roberts of the Glen Ridge Police Department, Essex County, had his death confirmed during the 90-minute town hall.
Murphy recognized police officers for enforcing the stay-at-home orders dealing with individuals whose COVID-19 status is unknown. He especially thanked the retired officers who came back to lend a hand.
The governor said he is fighting with everything he has to receive federal aid to help cover the state’s expenses. He has talked to both President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence about it.
“I will not relent. I promise you that,” Murphy said.
Along with Murphy and Leusner, Marcus O. Hicks, commissioner of the N.J. Department of Corrections, was among the participants in the town hall. Prisons are one of the places nationwide where clusters of COVID-19 infections have occurred.
Cumberland County has three prisons — South Woods State Prison in Bridgeton and Bayside State Prison and the Southern State Correctional Facility, which are in the Leesburg and Delmont sections, respectively, of Maurice River Township.
Hicks talked about what the prisons were doing to mitigate COVID-19 during the town hall.
Temperature checks have been started for those entering the prisons, Hicks said. The inmate visitation program has been suspended, but there has been an increase in what is allowed as far as phone calls and mail, he said.
Inmates are not released without identification or without health care arrangements being made, Hicks said.
If inmates fall into one of four categories, it is possible they can be furloughed to their homes, Hicks said. The categories include those age 60 and older, those who have been denied parole in the last year and those with high-risk medical conditions, he said.
“We want to balance public health and public safety,” Hicks said.
