Police Should Remain at Airport for Safety Sake

To The Editor:
I want to understand all issues involved in the decision whether or not to relocate Lower Township’s Police Department from its current site at the airport back to its former site at the municipal government complex on Bayshore Road, Villas. So, I made some telephone calls.
The first call was to Mike Voll, township manager. He said that one of the major benefits he sees to relocating it evolved from his criminal-justice background. Since the police moved to the airport the Memorial School for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students opened near the municipal government complex on Bayshore Road. Voll said in case of emergency, it is safer to have the police right next to the school than several miles away in the airport complex.
My next call was to our Councilperson Erik Simonsen. A native of Lower Township, Erik was very informative. He said that moving the police department from the airport to the municipal government complex put Lower’s other schools at a disadvantage.
My research showed that in the 15 major school shootings since 2000, 12 have occurred in middle schools and high schools. It would take the police longer to reach those schools in Lower Township from the proposed Bayshore Road location than it does from their central location at the airport.
We have seen that violence in America’s schools can happen anywhere. Even though all our schools have a police resource person in place, stopping violence requires more than one person. During these events, a delay of a few minutes can result in injuries and fatalities.
All Lower Township students deserve the fastest response possible if they are threatened and endangered at school. Keep the police headquarters in a location central to all schools, at the Airport; it makes the most sense.
The parents of students in our schools must let elected and appointed officials know their thoughts. All of them can be reached by calling (609) 886-2005. Their extensions are: Mike Voll, township manager, 133; Mike Beck, mayor, 131; Councilperson Thomas Conrad, 129; Councilperson James Neville, 126; and Councilperson Erik Simonsen, 128. The last three represent First Ward, Second Ward and Third Ward respectively.
National and state political issues often seem out of voters’ control. Local issues must not be. All Lower Township residents must learn what is involved and the reasons municipal leaders give to support either keeping the police at the airport or relocating their headquarters to the municipal government complex. It is our children’s safety and our tax dollars at stake. We have local elections this November. Learn before then who supports your views.