By Mark Rosman
Staff Writer
JACKSON – Municipal officials stated their strong support for the Jackson Police Department with the passage of a resolution at the Aug. 9 meeting of the Township Council.
In comments prior to a vote on the resolution, council President Robert Nixon noted the attack on the American law enforcement community that has occurred in recent months. Those general attacks have led to threats of assassination and the assassination of police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge, La.
“Law enforcement is the first line of defense to ensure our freedoms,” Nixon said. “When you see a police officer, say thank you, and let’s all pray they come home safe every day.”
The resolution states that the council “recognizes and appreciates the dangers and difficulties (faced) each day by our nation’s state and local police officers … the council recognizes that through their efforts and sacrifices, we are able to maintain the safety and security of our nation, state and community … recent incidents and news reports throughout the country have made it abundantly clear that the dangers and issues faced by police departments today are on a scope never seen before … Jackson Township not only recognizes the challenges, but supports and appreciates all that police officers do for us as citizens and residents.”
Officials concluded by the saying the council “supports the efforts of all police departments throughout the country, as well as the men and women who are society’s first line of defense … Jackson Township is committed to the safety and welfare of our police officers and we call upon all communities throughout our nation to acknowledge the contributions of their police departments and their commitment to their safety and welfare.”
Nixon was joined by council Vice President Ken Bressi, Councilman Scott Martin and Councilwoman Ann Updegrave in passing the resolution. Councilman Barry Calogero was absent.
During public comment, Jackson PBA President Joe Candido thanked the council members for passing the resolution stating their support for the police department. He thanked residents for their ongoing support in the wake of the assassination of police officers in Texas and Louisiana.
In other comments to the public, Nixon said Jackson’s representatives are working with state legislators to draft legislation that would require corporations that purchase property in a municipality to provide the names and addresses of the individuals who make up the corporation.
“The use of an LLC (limited liability company) masks the ownership of a property,” Nixon said, adding this practice is a problem in Jackson. “If you want to own a house in Jackson, sign your name on the bottom line.”
The council president said Jackson officials are continuing to push for action on real estate practices that have been described as block-busting.
Previous published reports have indicated that individuals who are believed to be Orthodox Jews or who are believed to represent the Orthodox Jewish community have approached Jackson residents whose homes are not for sale and made unsolicited offers to buy them out, ostensibly to permit Orthodox Jews to take over a neighborhood.
Nixon said offers such as those should be reported to municipal officials and not made the topic of social media posts. He said the state has deferred an investigation into the allegations of block-busting on technical grounds, but he indicated that the issue is still being pursued by Jackson’s representatives at the federal level.
