Middletown Mayor Tony Perry and Monmouth officials including Commissioner Director Tom Arnone and Sheriff Shaun Golden held a press conference on Tuesday morning announcing the launch of a “Safe Streets NJ” campaign amid a rash of auto-related thefts. Perry added that he intends to file a complaint with the Council on Local Mandates against the State of New Jersey with the goal of getting Trenton to foot the bill for extra police shifts necessitated by the ongoing automobile crime wave.
“Our judicial system has been hamstrung by policies and policymakers that result in no consequences for illegal behavior,” said Perry. “Are we a nation of laws or a nation of chaos? Trenton should amend their failed bail reform policies before tragedy strikes.”
“It’s also costing us the ability to invest more in paving roadways, maintaining our parks, and preserving open space since the funds need to be reallocated,” added Mayor Perry. “You can’t put a price tag on public safety, but it should come at the cost of the state. This is their disaster of the law — fix it or pay for it.
Since bail reform was enacted in the Garden State, Monmouth County has seen auto thefts gradually grow. There were under 140 thefts in the Jersey Shore county in 2017 (the year bail reform began) but the total number of thefts have increased annually by over 100 new thefts per year. More than 600 cars were stolen in Monmouth in 2022 alone.
“This data is evidence that change is needed in our legislative system so we do not continue to release criminals into our communities,” said Sheriff Golden. “It shouldn’t take local ordinances to try to curtail a statewide problem. This takes action on the state level.”
