As a leader, I vow to work hard to help keep Bernards Township safe.

Today, I attended Leadership Somerset. While there, I met with the Honorable Yolanda Ciccone, Assignment Judge, State of NJ Superior Court.

Today’s program included presentations from the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office. Recently, they launched the STOP!T app for anonymous crime reporting on mobile devices. The SCPO also announced that during an emergency, an individual can now send a text to 911.

I also learned about child abduction protocols and the importance of parents remaining vigilant in knowing what phone apps their children are using. Several popular apps, including SnapChat, WhatsApp, and the wildly popular TikTok, can be used to lure kids into sextortion, in which lurkers gain access and threaten to distribute private and sensitive material unless the user meets their demands.

Finally, we toured the County Jail, the Somerset County Operations Center, and the Emergency Operations Center.

Keeping Bernards Township a safe place to live is among my priorities as a Township Committee candidate. By working alongside the Bernards Township Police Department and the Somerset County Sheriff’s Department, I will ensure that we will address and work to eradicate any concerns our citizens have about crime.

Sophia Chadda