Report: Monroe is safest town in Middlesex County, eighth in state

By Christopher Lang, Correspondent, Feb 13, 2018 | MonroeNow

When it comes to safest municipalities in Middlesex County, Monroe Township leads the way, according to a recent study.

Overall, Monroe was ranked the eighth safest town in New Jersey for communities with more than 10,000 residents, according to National Council for Home Safety and Security report released Feb. 5. Leading the way was River Vale in Bergen County.

The Home Safety and Security Council based its findings on the most recently available FBI Uniform Crime Report statistics, coupled with its studies on population and other metrics.

“We are very pleased to be considered one of the safest towns in the state and in the country,” said Mayor Gerald Tamburro. “We feel we have the best trained police officers in the area. We swore-in six officers last week. Each of them are college graduates, with law backgrounds. We bring in people that are trained and ready to do the duties from the get go.”

Report: Click for full report

Related: Monroe hires six new police officers

The mayor noted the Township relies on the Police Department’s traditional approach to providing safety, but also ensuring there are plenty of programs for the diverse population when it comes to age.

“[Police] Chief [Michael] Lloyd is the best in the area,” Tamburro said.

Approximately half the population is senior citizens and senior communities. Those communities, he said, provide a multitude of programs to keep that population base active and as a result out of harm’s way.

“Our Recreation Department runs 24-7. We’ve been awarded national recognition,” he said. “We keep the kids active. We feel that once you keep the kids occupied with programs that are interesting to them they are less likely to get into trouble.”

Last year, the Home Security and Safety Council ranked the Township in the Top 15, the mayor said, welcoming this year’s better score.

The rankings are based on the number of violent and property crimes per 1,000 people. The National Home Safety and Security Council is a trade association “comprised of licensed alarm installers, contractors and other relevant trade groups across the United States,” according to its website.