Somerset County Government: Somerset County Partners With Bridgewater On Pilot Project To Proactively Support Residents In Crisis And Pr ...

Press release from the Somerset County Government:

10/04/2021 11:32 AM

Somerville, NJ – Somerset County and Bridgewater Township are piloting the innovative Community Police Alliance project to provide aid and support to at-risk residents before their situation escalates to one involving police intervention or arrests. The County Human Services Department has hired Dameon Stackhouse, a Licensed Social Worker, to coordinate and refine the pilot project with the goal of expanding it to other communities in the future.

“The Community Police Alliance is a great example of how Somerset County and municipalities can work together to solve problems facing our residents,” said Commissioner Director Shanel Robinson. “When Mayor Moench first suggested this idea, I immediately knew this was a project we could work on together to make a real difference in people’s lives.”

The Community Police Alliance project is provided to Bridgewater by the County at no cost to the Township.

In his role as Community Police Alliance Coordinator, Stackhouse will receive, analyze, act upon, and follow up on referrals provided to him by the Bridgewater Police Department based on their observations. He will offer referred individuals and families the information and support needed to take advantage of community services that address issues such as mental health and substance use, domestic violence, housing and food insecurity, childcare, and healthcare.

By improving the living situation of residents and families before they reach a crisis point, the Community Police Alliance focus is on reducing harm to the public, saving law enforcement resources, and creating a better community for everyone.

“Police officers are out in the community every day, and they can see when some residents or families are experiencing hard times that could lead to serious problems down the line,” said Robinson. “The Community Police Alliance offers the chance for police to be a part of changing people’s lives for the better, and preventing the pain and suffering that inevitably follows arrests and incarceration.”

Bridgewater Mayor Matthew Moench first broached this idea during a series of meetings between local and county leaders to discuss community policing following the murder of George Floyd in May 2020. In January 2021, Director Robinson directed the Human Services department to develop and implement the pilot program with Bridgewater. After interviews that included both County and Bridgewater leaders and law enforcement, Stackhouse was selected to be the first Community Police Alliance Coordinator.

“As many in Bridgewater know, I have advocated for this program for many years,” said Mayor Moench. “As public officials, it is our responsibility to both our residents and our brave men and women in uniform to give law enforcement all the tools that they need to deliver the most effective service that they possibly can. I am confident that this program will not only help the police department but also make a substantial impact to those they interact with who are in real crisis. Thank you to Somerset County for choosing Bridgewater to host this pilot and I look forward to what I believe is an inevitable rollout to our neighboring communities.”

Stackhouse began his work in September, and will join Somerset County Human Services Director Michael Frost and Bridgewater Chief of Police Paul Payne at the October 12, 2021 Board of County Commissioner meeting to discuss the program and impressions from his first month in the position. Interested residents can attend the meeting in person at the County Administration Building in Somerville, online at http://www.soconj.gov/meetings, or on the Somerset County Facebook page.

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This press release was produced by the Somerset County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.