Agencies Colloborate for Progress in Rio Grande

COURT HOUSE – In addition to the reactivation of the Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit and the hiring of an additional code enforcement officer, Middle Township officials have recently held several meetings with county and state agencies whose policies and practices impact the quality of life in Rio Grande. The goal is to gain better insight of these agencies’ role in our community and foster better collaboration and communication in the Township’s efforts to improve conditions in Rio Grande, specifically with regard to crime, homelessness and substance abuse.
In January, Middle Township Committeeman Tim Donohue, Police Chief Christopher Leusner, and Business Administrator Connie Mahon met with Lenny Ward, Director of Divisions of Parole and Community Programs at the State Parole Board, and two members of his staff to discuss the roles and responsibilities of Ward’s department.  He explained that he and his staff are responsible for those released on parole who are still serving their sentences and that his parole officers are monitoring behaviors and persons in direct contact with the parolee to ensure that guidelines set forth for the parolee such as curfews and the prohibition of alcohol/drug use are being followed. Ward offered the assistance of his Bridgeton Office in aiding the Township Street Crimes Unit in keeping a close eye on the parolees living in area motels or residences and identifying those affiliated with them. 
On February 19^th, Leusner and Mahon traveled to Trenton to meet with NJ Department of Corrections (DOC) Chief of Staff Judith Lang and Deputy Commissioner Darcella Sessomes regarding procedures in releasing those whose sentences have been fully served.  Lang and Sessomes explained that the review and preparation process begins 180 days prior to a prisoner’s release. The process includes mental health screenings, discussions about future plans, and guidance about the resources available in the community where the inmate plans to reside. Thirty days prior to release, notification of the location of the inmate’s intended residence is provided to the Prosecutor’s Office(s) relevant to the case.
Regarding those on probation, Leusner, Donohue and Mahon met with representatives from the Cape May County Probation Department. Marshall M. Muldrow, NJ Courts Regional Supervisor for the Intensive Supervision Program, provided an overview of his staff’s responsibilities.  Muldrow stated that while he would prefer that a person under his office’s supervision resides with family, this is frequently impossible and those parties wind up in area motels.  According to Muldrow, in order to qualify for the Intensive Supervision Program and be released from prison, a person must have a promise of employment, remain employed under most circumstances, and have a permanent place of residence, which can be a motel. Additionally, applicants are only accepted if they committed certain non-violent offenses.  Muldrow stated that his organization offers job training, guidance in securing healthcare under the Affordable Health Care Act and assistance with integrating into society after incarceration. According to Muldrow, the Intensive Supervision Program monitors behaviors closely and any probation violation would cause a participant be banned from the program.  The Probation Department’s Deputy Chief, Roberta Scull, gave an overview of her department and offered some insight into the requirements for people on probation.  She pointed to the growing heroin epidemic as the main reason for the increase in certain crimes in Cape May County and stated that Cape May County is statistically tougher when sentencing drug offenses than most other NJ counties. This results in more prison time for offenders, but most return to this area upon release.
Mahon and Leusner subsequently met with Cape May County Social Services Director Sarah Maloney, Freeholder Kristine Gabor, Freeholder Gerald Thornton, Clerk of the Freeholder Board Beth Bozzelli and County Human Services Director Pat Devaney to discuss the County’s roles and responsibilities in administrating Federal and State voucher and assistance programs.  Director Maloney explained that anyone is eligible for assistance, regardless of what county they are from; however, they must meet eligibility requirements.  She asked that the police department share arrest information with her liaison in order to prevent certain parties from getting vouchers.  Maloney stated that the only thing that would bar an individual from receiving General Assistance is a drug distribution charge. That would terminate the eligibility for Emergency Assistance (State) which can be secured for up to a year.  A drug possession charge would require the individual seeking assistance to seek drug treatment.  Maloney stated that sanctions can be placed on individuals seeking housing assistance, but cannot be placed on the motel or property owner.  She also explained that TANIF, a federal program that used to be known as Food Stamps, now requires a recipient to actively seek employment or work for a minimum of 20 hours per week for the 36-month qualification period. Maloney stated that the trend has been towards taking a tougher approach to service provided and that as a result the number of applicants is down. Maloney offered to name a liaison to work with Middle Township’s PD to identify those abusing the assistance programs.  Devaney provided guidance on the Cure for the Angel Program, a drug intervention protocol that is being considered for implementation by the MTPD.
Jan. 19, Donohue, Leusner and Mahon traveled to Branches Outreach Center in Rio Grande and met with volunteers Larry Schmidt, Sandra Lockhart and Susan Mayfair.  The meals and warming center, operated by St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, provides the homeless with up to two meals (breakfast and lunch) per day. In the event of extreme cold (a “Code Blue”), the center’s volunteers provide dinner and extend the hours of operation to as late as 10 p.m., depending on need. Schmidt explained that the organization provides spiritual counseling but is not manned by trained professionals and that the all-volunteer staff attempts to provide guidance in securing emergency housing each day through County Social Services. He also stated that Branches is filled to capacity almost every day and that they see the same faces regularly.  
Jan. 22 Dan Brown of the Atlantic City Rescue Mission met with Mayor Michael Clark, Leusner and Mahon.   Brown stated that the AC Rescue mission is a faith-based non-profit shelter that relies on mainly charitable donations to operate.  He stated that they presently have Memorandums of Understanding with Atlantic County, Cumberland County and Cape May County, although Cape May County’s is unsigned.  Brown indicated that it is his opinion that counties should not be in the business of operating homeless shelters and pointed to a northern New Jersey county as an expensive example of why not.  He stated that he would prefer that instead of providing staff or a building, the county instead helps to fund the shelter through vouchers.  According to Brown, Cumberland County currently sends homeless families to the AC Rescue mission and funds 100% of the cost through vouchers.  When asked why Cape May County’s current MOU has not been signed he stated that the NJ Department of Human Services is holding it up. He reported that he had been making great progress with the previous DHS administration but received diminished cooperation from the current administration. Brown stated that he was concerned with Branches’ shopping center location and the lack of trained staff.  He cited that Toms River’s tent city problem grew rapidly when a warming center opened in close proximity and that it became difficult to convince the homeless living in tents to move to a shelter where treatment and counseling would be provided.  Brown stated that simply feeding the homeless but not providing job training, treatment for addictions or ongoing support leaves the homeless population helpless and vulnerable and in a cycle that cannot be broken. He added that a large part of the homeless population is mentally ill, making assistance dangerous without proper training. 
Brown indicated that the keys to the AC Rescue Mission’s success are its tremendous program resources, highly trained personnel, and dedicated base of private donations.  He reported that the AC Rescue Mission has been operating a very successful 35-person training/ living accommodation in Wildwood known as Barnabas House.  Brown stated that the three-story building has and will continue to be subjected to flooding and costly repairs and would be looking to relocate. He asked for the Township Committee’s support in securing a location so that the organization can continue operating the training facility and incorporate a homeless shelter right here in Cape May County.  Brown also reported that the AC Rescue Mission operates a farm on Route 47 near Swainton-Goshen Road that is used for job training and a food source for the mission.  He stated that this type of location would be ideal for a homeless shelter/ job training farm mission. 
The Township has already begun to implement the guidance and assistance received from these agencies.
“As is often the case, better communication leads to better cooperation and integration of our missions,” Committeeman Donohue said. “We have gained a much better understanding of how the many law enforcement and social service agencies involved impact our town and quality of life.  Going forward, this information and the new partnerships being developed will help all of us serve the community more professionally and with greater efficiency.”
The Middle Township Police Department Street Crimes Unit has been operating for approximately seven weeks and working very closely with the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office Gangs, Guns and Narcotics Task Force.  The Street Crimes Unit has seized 1,210 bags of heroin with a street value of $12,100; 86 bags of crack cocaine with street value of $1,700; and $3,382 in U.S. currency.  The Street Crimes Unit has made 17 arrests and conducted court-authorized search warrants at the Catalina Motel, Beach House Motel, Shelton Motel and Silver Birch Motel.  The Street Crimes Unit uncovered an alleged counterfeit money scheme operating out of the Beach House Motel and solved a case where graffiti was being sprayed on bus stops in Rio Grande.  While conducting surveillance at the Beach House Motel, Street Crimes Unit members observed a heroin overdose in the parking lot and administered Narcan to the subject.  Finally, the Street Crimes Unit assisted members of the Wildwood Police Department and Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office with a court-authorized search warrant in Whitesboro where a suspect in an attempted murder case from a shooting in Wildwood was arrested. 
Chief Leusner stated, “I said in December that if you engage in criminal activity in Middle Township, specifically in and around our motels, we would find you and arrest you.  The members of the Middle Township Police Department Street Crimes Unit have done just that and we will continue with our aggressive enforcement strategy to keep our residents safe.”
In response to ongoing challenges with property maintenance issues, Middle Township has expanded its code enforcement staff. Michael Elias, a former Middle Township police officer, was hired as a part-time code enforcement official to serve on the Code Enforcement Rapid Response Team. Elias works out of the Township’s Public Works Department and systematically patrols problem areas in the Township, issuing summonses on the spot. Patrols are conducted in a truck so that violations such as illegally dumped items can be remedied immediately. 
Middle Township Committeeman Tim Donohue said, like many residents, he had grown weary of the slow progress in addressing chronic offenders and longstanding eyesores. Donohue said a new approach and greater sense of urgency are needed.
“Enough is enough,” Donohue said. “Township Committee has beefed up the enforcement mechanisms in our property maintenance ordinance, as well as provided a quicker path to demolishing derelict properties. We need to put those new mechanisms to work for their intended purpose. Our previous approach had lacked effectiveness. With additional staff we can target problem areas seven days a week until we get these issues resolved and our neighborhoods cleaned up.”
Patrols are initially focusing on areas where the Township has received that greatest amount of resident complaints, including Rio Grande. Eventually, patrols will be conducted township-wide in a cyclical manner.
At its March 21 Work Session, Middle Township Committee will provide a more detailed progress report on its initiatives to improve Rio Grande. A public summit regarding Rio Grande will be held at the Rio Grande Fire Hall in early April.