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i think it's more important for those large towns though, cremebrulee, than the small towns.
yes, you may be right, but then, what happens say 20 years down the road, if your town grows, and becomes overridden with crime? Once a law is in place, it's like opening a can of worms, and it's the unwritten things that arise down the road that may be harmful.
Honestly I can understand, the points about having a policeman nearer to the community so he/she is accessable...but this tiny part inside, cringes for them and for their families...and if you live in a small town with very little crime, it's hard to conceive of anything else, yanno?
I don't agree with making this a law, but you are overreacting. Do you really think that living a couple of towns away from where you work as an officer is going to make you difficult to find?
I can't answer that, but I do know a lot of police feel that it does help...and if that gives them some peace, so be it...listen, I just think it should be left up to the officer...its unfair to say, if you want to be a policeman in the whole state of NJ, you have to live in that town? As not every town is the same...
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For many towns in NJ, there are no issues for officers living in the town they work. Many officers work and live in my town (the chief is 4 doors away), and there are many officers who live in my town and work in neighboring towns.
yes, and many don't....it's really a matter for the officer himself to decide, isn't it? I know that NJ is on a much higher pay scale, but really? I mean seriously, people should have the right to live where they chose to live
Same town is kind of ridiculous considering how many small towns there are. Who cares if a Glen Ridge cop lives in Bloomfield? Or an East Orange cop in South Orange?
However, this wouldn't apply to Camden, so no worries there: Camden doesn't have a police department.
Camden does have a county run force, but if an officer is assigned permanently to the city, will they be expected to live there?
It's very easy to "read into" any particular topic. The what if's, the hypotheticals, the entire thought process, etc. Simply put, I think there are advantages and disadvantages to the requirement. I wouldn't even attempt to get into some -- foolish -- back and forth discussion/argument about whether or not it's easier for a criminal to find where a cop lives, if the cop lives in the town he/she works. It's a fallacious and futile discussion/argument. Case by case by case.
Getting into the "it's a good idea because" as well as the "it's a bad idea because" also doesn't accomplish anything.
So how do you decide where you stand? First, for me, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages...HOWEVER...I don't think it can be a state-wide, blanket requirement. Second, I do think there could and should be some personal choice and latitude. Not to get into the minutia, but does the Saddle River cop have to live in Saddle River? LOL. Does he/she have to live within a certain distance? Maybe that's a better idea. Perhaps the problem is not a criminal easily finding out where a cop lives because the cop lives in town...maybe it's a far bigger problem...security itself, the town, the system, process, etc. I don't know, I don't have the answer.
Personally, I liked when town-cops lived in my town. For many reasons. It could set a tone, a culture, it can positively impact the town. But I don't think it can be or should be mandatory, state-law.
It's very easy to "read into" any particular topic. The what if's, the hypotheticals, the entire thought process, etc. Simply put, I think there are advantages and disadvantages to the requirement. I wouldn't even attempt to get into some -- foolish -- back and forth discussion/argument about whether or not it's easier for a criminal to find where a cop lives, if the cop lives in the town he/she works. It's a fallacious and futile discussion/argument. Case by case by case.
Getting into the "it's a good idea because" as well as the "it's a bad idea because" also doesn't accomplish anything.
So how do you decide where you stand? First, for me, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages...HOWEVER...I don't think it can be a state-wide, blanket requirement. Second, I do think there could and should be some personal choice and latitude. Not to get into the minutia, but does the Saddle River cop have to live in Saddle River? LOL. Does he/she have to live within a certain distance? Maybe that's a better idea. Perhaps the problem is not a criminal easily finding out where a cop lives because the cop lives in town...maybe it's a far bigger problem...security itself, the town, the system, process, etc. I don't know, I don't have the answer.
Personally, I liked when town-cops lived in my town. For many reasons. It could set a tone, a culture, it can positively impact the town. But I don't think it can be or should be mandatory, state-law.
I agree with everything you said......
but on a blanket statement, I think NJ leaders are becoming, "Let's create a new law", happy....
and yes, the nicest compromise would be, living within a certain radius....thank you
This would present a problem on both the extreme low and extreme high end towns. Most cops are either middle or upper middle class. I can't see any cop with a family wanting to live in a place like Camden or Newark, it would make no sense if you can afford better. Conversely, there aren't many cops that can afford to live in places like Saddle River, Far Hills, etc.
I see the value of having a cop in the town and knowing the environment. However out of town cops can learn about the community they police as well. As long the cop is a good cop, I really don't care where they live.
Sure it is a good idea police officers and fire fighters live near their work. This way they will better know the community and be better able to serve it.
but on a blanket statement, I think NJ leaders are becoming, "Let's create a new law", happy....
and yes, the nicest compromise would be, living within a certain radius....thank you
If that's what you think NJ leaders are becoming...I get that...perhaps that's reflective of a much larger, broader problem. Thanks.
This would present a problem on both the extreme low and extreme high end towns. Most cops are either middle or upper middle class. I can't see any cop with a family wanting to live in a place like Camden or Newark, it would make no sense if you can afford better. Conversely, there aren't many cops that can afford to live in places like Saddle River, Far Hills, etc.
I see the value of having a cop in the town and knowing the environment. However out of town cops can learn about the community they police as well. As long the cop is a good cop, I really don't care where they live.
Many cops in decent towns like say Rockaway, Sparta , Morris Plains etc do live in their towns.
This law will only negatively impact the bad azz areas like Newark, Camden, Jersey City Asbury Park, South Toms River etc etc because their pool of qualified candidates is going to bottom out.
One year the way it is now is fine.
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