Madison, NJ–– Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) held a press conference this week with local law enforcement and elected officials to highlight the introduction of her new bipartisan bill, the Auto Theft Prevention Act. Read more about this legislation here. She was joined by state and local officials and representatives of law enforcement to highlight the collaborative work happening on this issue across New Jersey, including state legislation introduced by State Senators Richard Codey and Anthony Bucco.
“I’ve heard directly from elected officials, police chiefs, prosecutors, sheriffs’ offices, our state troopers, our Attorney General, and community members about the alarming rash of auto thefts. These crimes are escalating, and we now see attempts accompanied by break-ins and further crimes committed with the stolen cars,” Rep. Sherrill said. “And that community input is what led directly to my introduction of the Auto Theft Prevention Act, which will ensure that state and local law enforcement agencies nationwide have access to dedicated federal funding to combat auto thefts. Through continued federal, state, and local cooperation, we can reverse the rising tide of auto thefts and crack down on the associated crimes, both those committed during the auto theft and those carried out afterwards using stolen vehicles, that have so understandably harmed our community’s sense of security.”
“Car thefts are a tough business and they are becoming more and more dangerous– not only for the public but also for our law enforcement officers who are out there trying to protect us,” Senator Anthony M. Bucco (LD-25) said. “Our bill, along with the Congresswoman’s legislation, will help to give law enforcement and prosecutors the resources they need to protect our friends and neighbors.”
“These gangs are turning children into criminals by recruiting juveniles to steal cars. And this issue goes beyond car thefts. This is about community safety,” Senator Richard Codey (LD-27) said during the press conference. “We need to pass legislation at both the state and federal level so we can provide our law enforcement with the tools to keep these offenders off the street.”
“I applaud Congresswoman Sherrill for her efforts to make resources available to combat the rise in auto thefts. Her work underscores the strong partnerships that we have at the federal and state levels to give law enforcement the tools they need to do all we ask of them,” said Attorney General Platkin. “We are working across all levels of government in New Jersey on this front, through efforts in Trenton like Governor Murphy’s $10 million for license plate recognition technology, in Washington with Congresswoman Sherrill’s bill, and in the everyday, dogged work of police departments across the state.”
“The New Jersey State Police has been dedicated in our efforts to curb this growing trend but the increase in motor vehicle thefts cannot be denied,” said Colonel Patrick J. Callahan of the New Jersey State Police. “The public has to realize this is a very real and very dangerous problem that has implications far beyond the initial theft of a vehicle and carries into the realm of violent crime. The Auto Theft Prevention Act as introduced by Congresswoman Sherrill and Congressman Bacon will provide tremendous resources to both local and state law enforcement agencies which will undoubtedly support our collaborative efforts in our mission to mitigate this growing threat to public safety.”
“This auto theft problem becomes compounded as many of these vehicles are often used in the furtherance of additional crimes. Sadly, many of these crimes are violent crimes, which turn into deaths in our community and we can’t stand for it any longer,” NJ State Troopers Fraternal Association President Wayne Blanchard said during the press conference. “Not only does the STFA endorse this critical and soon to be effective piece of legislation, but I also have the honor of being on the National Troopers Coalition’s Legislative Committee which represents over 42,000 troopers nationwide. I thank the Congresswoman on behalf of the NTC and I’m so proud that this is most likely the first bill ever where federal grant money has been earmarked for state police agencies.”
“I have pride as a resident of New Jersey when I see our elected officials working hard and mitigating problems. This is a serious issue affecting so many and I applaud Congresswoman Sherrill for taking action,” Livingston Police Chief Gary Marshuetz said during the press conference.
“This legislation will give us more of what we need to protect our residents and keep the people who are praying on them from doing so,” Morris County Police Chiefs Association President and Washington Township Chief Jeff Almer said during the press conference. “It takes a proactive approach, working together to get this done. With the proper tools and manpower in place, we can officially combat anything that comes our way.”
“This issue of auto theft is not a local issue in that it goes through all of our counties. Morris and Essex work together on this from a law enforcement perspective, and now you see local elected officials that understand the need for it” Morris County Sheriff James Gannon said during the press conference. “Congresswoman Sherrill and Congressman Bacon, as well as Senators Bucco and Codey, we’re really appreciative of you moving this issue forward on a bipartisan basis. This is not about politics. It is about good public policy that protects our residents.”
“Senator Bucco and Senator Codey proposed legislation that was long overdue, and Mikie Sherrill, with her colleagues in Congress are doing something significant, putting some teeth into this issue, providing us with resources we all need desperately” Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura said during the press conference.
“Passaic County has not gone untouched by the increase that we’ve seen in the auto theft world. From January to September of 2022, we’ve seen more than 900 auto thefts in Passaic County alone,” Passaic County Undersheriff Kevin Dickson said during the press conference. “We realize that the problems we’re facing Law Enforcement can’t solve alone. For that reason we’re very thankful to the Congresswoman for her leadership and for the Auto Theft Prevention Act.”
“Congresswoman Sherrill’s new Auto Theft Prevention Act, her new proposed bill, enables our police to really make a strong inroad in capturing and deterring these criminals from starting what is a chain of violence affecting our community safety,” Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll said during the press conference. “Her bill is earmarked for local, county, and state police. It’s something that will come directly here, and that’s what we need.”
“Most people living here in Morris County already know someone, if not in their own family, maybe a neighbor or co-worker who has been a victim of this rising crime wave.,” Morris County Commissioner Director Tayfun Selen said during the press conference. “We also must do what we can to help police combat this type of crime, and that means getting serious about putting the people behind these criminal rings in prison for a very long time. It also means providing police with the resources necessary to go after the offenders, and this type of bipartisan effort announced today on the federal level is a great help.”
“Since the pandemic, Verona and surrounding communities saw an explosion of actual and attempted car thefts. Residents are concerned knowing that there are organized crime rings targeting our communities to steal our vehicles,” said Verona Deputy Mayor Christine McGrath. “Small towns like Verona already spend one third of our local budget on policing. The grant program that Congresswoman Sherrill is proposing would open up a funding opportunity for my community to meaningfully address rising crime as it is directly tied to auto thefts.”
“On behalf of Mayor Robert Conley, I want to welcome you all to Madison for this important discussion. Congresswoman Sherrill, thank you for bringing us together and introducing the Auto Theft Prevention Act,” Madison Councilman Bob Landrigan said during the press conference. “The increase in auto theft has hit our part of New Jersey really hard. Every part of the government, local, state, and federal, is working to address this public safety issue.”
"It is not a secret that in New Jersey we are seeing that motor vehicle theft has become an epidemic, specifically within suburban communities. At the epicenter of Morris County is Madison, a community with affluent neighborhoods and vehicles, which attract these thieves. I applaud Congresswoman Sherrill for introducing the bipartisan Auto Theft Prevention Act, and Senators Codey and Bucco for similar state legislation, which would provide municipalities like Madison the resources and funding to combat rising motor vehicle theft rates in Morris County communities," Mayor Robert H. Conley stated.
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