NEPTUNE TWP., NJ: In Neptune Township, there have been news stories in recent months regarding political interference in police matters. Republican Committee candidates Shannon Kelly and Rachael Stolte are making their message crystal clear: remove the politics out of policing the town.

The Neptune First ticket is calling for a new approach to the relationship with the Township Police Department as the candidates are seeking to introduce more of a “Community Policing” concept to help bring down rising crime rates. “We respect the task the PD has on its hands,” says candidate Shannon Kelly. “It’s not enough to simply say ‘back the blue’…we all, as a community, have an obligation to assist and not deter in the task of making our town safe.” Parts of what candidates Kelly and Stolte are calling for the creation of more neighborhood watch groups as well as develop neighborhood/community liaisons to communicate citizen concerns directly to the Police Department. “It doesn’t matter what section of town you live in,” says Rachael Stolte. “A safe Neptune Township benefits every family, every resident, every business.”

Both Kelly and Stolte have pledged to work with County and State leaders to seek and enact new programs to assist in reducing crime in the Township. The Republican hopefuls have pointed to the steep reduction in state funding for Neptune Township Schools as a major Democratic agenda failure as it has meant reduced program offerings for children on all levels. “We have so many hard working families in Neptune Township who had the comfort of knowing their children were safely supervised in productive extra-curricular activities at school,” reflects Stolte. “With the years of devastating cuts, we have to create an environment where we can reestablish the level of safe supervision our children need.”

This issue fits right into what the Neptune First team is calling for when they describe having more community involvement in improving the quality of life in the town. “We are asking Neptune Township to elect me and Rachael to the Township Committee so we can bring people together,” says Kelly. “There is so much we can accomplish by getting the politics out of it and uniting as the strong community we know we have here.”

The campaign can be reached at neptunefirst.nj@gmail.com.