Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel and Union County Sheriff Peter Corvelli, in partnership with the Union County Board of County Commissioners, launched a county-wide community initiative designed to assist in making Union County a safer place to live, work, and visit. Known as the Safe Place Initiative, this program represents an active partnership between local police departments, businesses, social organizations, and schools to further New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin’s statewide efforts to combat bias, hate, and violence.
Safe Place participants will display a decal designating their establishment a “safe place” for any individual to enter and call law enforcement should they feel unsafe. This initiative began in Seattle, Washington as an effort to reduce LGBTQ+ bias incidents and hate crimes but has grown exponentially since its inception, and includes all forms of hate and bias incidents, as well as student bullying.
With all 25 law enforcement agencies in Union County committed to participating in the program, 23 of them being certified as of the rollout, Union County is the first county worldwide to collectively execute the program.
Union County Prosecutor William Daniel states, “Our Union County Safe Place program is designed to assist all victims of hate, bullying, and bias offenses that include, but are not limited to, race, color, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, national origin, or ethnicity. Any individual who sees a Safe Place logo will know the that the establishment displaying the decal will provide a ‘safe place’ where victims of these offenses can seek refuge while the police are notified and arrive to assist them.”
PARTICIPATING UNION COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENTS:
Berkeley Heights: (908) 464-1111
Clark: (732) 388-3434
Cranford: (908) 272-2222
Elizabeth: (908) 558-2000
Fanwood: (908) 322-5000
Garwood: (908) 789-1500
Hillside: (973) 926-5800
KEAN University: (908) 737-4800
Kenilworth: (908) 276-1700
Linden: (908) 474-8500
Mountainside: (908) 232-8100
Plainfield: (908) 753-3131
Rahway: (732) 827-2200
Roselle: (908) 245-5600
Roselle Park: (908) 245-2300
Scotch Plains: (908) 322-7100
Springfield: (973) 376-0400
Union Township: (908) 851-5000
Union County Police: (908) 654-9800
Union County Prosecutors: (908) 527-4500
Union County Sheriff’s: (908) 527-4450
Westfield: (908) 789-4000
Winfield: (908) 925-3852
Reach out to the department Safe Place Liaisons with any
questions.