A proposed bill vetoed by Gov. Christie was flawed and would not have improved employee security.
By Allison Blake, Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Children and Families
In a recent opinion piece published by the Star Ledger that was submitted by Hetty Rosenstein, director of the State's largest public employee union, it was grossly mischaracterized that Governor Christie's veto of legislation aimed to improve the safety of thousands of Department of Children and Families staff was a callous disregard of state workers' lives.
This characterization could not be more wrong. The proposed bill vetoed by the Governor was flawed and would not have improved security of our employees. And the Governor continues to be a strong advocate of New Jersey's child protection system, including the caseworkers who are at the heart of it.
For me as Commissioner of the Department of Children and Families and a former caseworker myself, there is no higher priority than the safety of our employees and the children that they are tasked to protect.
New Jersey's child welfare workers are dedicated professionals committed to ensuring the safety of our state's most vulnerable youth. Having been in the field, I know the job is not easy. Few parents or guardians initially welcome the child welfare system into their lives.
For our caseworkers to do their jobs well, whether it's in the field or office, they must feel the New Jersey Department of Children and Families is with them, ensuring their on-the-job safety.
Since the senseless attack on one of our caseworkers in Camden, we've implemented many new safety measures for our workers. These measures are more than merely good intentions.
Stabbed N.J. child welfare worker speaks out
I am committed to our new safety measures and reinforce my openness to always improve upon what we've already done. Here are some of the specific and concrete steps made to make our workers safer.
Every New Jersey child welfare office is now protected by a trained and visible armed guard. Many of these guards are former police officers, schooled and experienced in law enforcement.
Beyond the deterrence created by their physical presence, these law enforcement professionals also use metal detection wands to check every visitor for weapons.
For caseworkers meeting families privately in our local offices, we provide emergency notification pendants. While the metal detection wands guard against weapons, the pendants help protect caseworkers from other forms of physical violence. Similar to the Life Alert system advertised on television, caseworkers can easily press the neck-worn pendant to alert an armed guard and office staff for immediate help if they feel threatened.
In addition, we have enhanced multiple safety related training programs for staff, implemented local safety workgroups, hired a security advisor to help enhance local safety plans, and installed one-way mirror interview rooms in each local office.
Caseworkers may also be accompanied by police escorts, which the Human Services Police Department, the New Jersey State Police, and local police departments provide upon request and around the clock. No caseworker should ever visit a family's home alone if they believe it might be dangerous. We strongly encourage caseworkers to bring a partner if they feel a home visit may be unsafe.
Union spokespersons heralded the vetoed legislation to make the Human Services Police Department solely and exclusively responsible for security at department offices and accompaniment in the field, claiming it would improve safety without a substantial increase in the number of officers.
Despite the union's adamant claims, the bill in its current form is unworkable and unsafe.
It would force the Department to remove the private armed guards protecting our 46 local offices. And our field workers could no longer call on the State Police or local police departments for around the clock escort protection.
It doesn't require complex math to realize that having only 50 officers to protect each of our 46 local offices for 12 hours each day and also accompany hundreds of caseworkers as they do home visits around the clock 365 days per year doesn't calculate. Once you include mandatory training days and sick and vacation leave for the police officers, the notion is even more absurd.
Our department is always ready to discuss with our employees constructive and workable ideas to further strengthen ways to make them feel safe. Again, I welcome opportunities to do so.