Hon. John D’Amico
Auto theft is at an all-time high and a public emergency that needs immediate attention. Monmouth County has seen a 37% increase in automobile thefts since 2021. Nearly every morning, a resident in Monmouth County wakes up in horror to learn that the sanctity of their home was violated because criminals stole their automobile. Countless others watch their home security systems in shock as thieves brazenly trespass onto their property and even their homes attempting to steal their car or burglarize their home as if they had nothing to fear. Something must be done to stop it now!
In twelve years as Sheriff, Shaun Golden failed to lead a single investigation into the auto theft rings being run by organized crime. Instead, he's working his other job as the GOP party boss to ruin the political careers of other Republicans who had the courage to stand up to him. The County Sheriff is the only law enforcement office with the authority and resources large enough to take the lead on the fight against auto theft. It is time it started doing so. When the Sheriff puts his own interests over those whom he took an oath to protect, then it is time for a new Sheriff.
Fighting organized crime requires organized investigations, not playing political games. On day one as Sheriff, I will form an Organized Crime Task Force that is dedicated to finding, capturing and destroying the auto theft rings plaguing towns in Monmouth County. In coordination with local police, the Sheriff's Office will conduct thorough investigations to arrest the thieves AND their ringleaders by using the NJ RICO Act which successfully took down the mafia. We will make this County safe again and the worst place for criminals to do business.
The county jails that are managed by the Sheriff have been more than half empty since 2014. As a result, taxpayers are footing the bill for tens of millions of dollars caused by the increased cost to manage the county jail. At the same time, the opioid epidemic continues to bog down law enforcement resources because countless people in the criminal justice system are unable to continue with the necessary recovery services due to a gap in treatment after receiving the initial detoxification.
The sheriff mismanaged the county jails by failing to adapt to changes that any business minded person would have seen coming when bail reform was made law in 2014 by Gov. Christie. Although most in the criminal justice system are there because of addition, fewer than 13% of them needing recovery services are able to get the treatment needed due to the lack of inpatient facilities that will accept Medicaid coverage. Only two such treatment centers exist in NJ because Medicaid does not pay enough for a provider to earn the profit necessary to build and operate an inpatient facility.
The former Juvenile Detention Center (“JDC”) is vacant since its closure. In a public-private partnership with a provider, the County Sheriff could reutilize the JDC to serve as an inpatient substance abuse facility that accepts Medicaid in order to close the gap in treatment. In exchange, the County will receive millions in rent from a percentage of gross receipts. A provider can forgo investing millions to build a facility and, in return, we offset the cost on taxpayers to run the Sheriff’s Office. It also allows for the expansion of the drug court which diverts non-violent suspects into treatment rather than clogging the criminal justice system.
In January 2022, following a thorough investigation it was reported that the Inspector General for the State of New Jersey determined that Sheriff Shaun Golden accepted "illegal" salary increases from the Monmouth County Board of Commissioners of $42,210 over a period of five years. The report found that the Sheriff's pay increase violated a state law requiring public disclosure of the proposed pay increase since 1971. "Circumventing the public process undermines transparency and public confidence in local government," the report concluded.
[Source: Monmouth County sheriff, commissioner pay raised illegally: NJ report (app.com)]
Sheriff Golden also works as the Chairman of the Monmouth County Republican Party. As chairman, Golden is essentially the "party boss" who holds significant power over who can run for elected office as a Republican in the county. Over the years he has used that power to target GOP officials who have challenged him, such as his ouster of Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso (R) of Monmouth's 13th legislative district as well as County Commissioners Gary Rich and John Curley. Since the current Board of County Commissioners are all Republican, they have every political incentive to give into anything Sheriff Golden wants or else face the same political fate.
You can't serve two masters at the same time. The Sheriff is elected to serve everyone in Monmouth County. However, you cannot be the Sheriff to everyone while you are also obligated to serve only the chosen few of a political party. If elected Sheriff, I will adopt a strict code of conduct for everyone serving in the department which prohibits partisan political activity in the same manner as it is prohibited for Judges in the Superior Court, the New Jersey State Police and many employees of State. It will also forbid the acceptance of any benefit, including pay raises, when there is an apparent conflict of interest presented.
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