Nelson Mandela once aptly noted that “no one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”

We agree.

And what’s more, we’re not alone.

When we launched our SAFE PLACE initiative last October, it was just a pilot program, with the Asbury Park Police Department Long Branch Police Department and Red Bank Police Department agreeing to be the first on board. The concept is simple: the program offers anyone belonging to one of several federally protected classes of individuals safe, secure locations from which to report bias incidents and/or hate crimes. Every local organization, business, house of worship, or government entity choosing to participate in SAFE PLACE is given brightly colored and hard-to-miss decals for posting prominently in an entrance area, allowing anyone who spots them the assurance that representatives of the location and responding police officers will treat the reporting individual with care, dignity, and respect.

When we moved to expand the initiative countywide this summer, we had a feeling other departments would be eager to get on board – and we were right!

The Keyport Police Department Borough of Rumson Police Department Sea Girt Police Department and West Long Branch Police publicly announced their participation in SAFE PLACE during the last few weeks. The Atlantic Highlands Police Department announced their participation just yesterday! And earlier this week, Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Lori Linskey and Acting First Assistant Prosecutor Michael Wojciechowski were honored to join Middletown Township Police Department Chief Craig Weber to announce their involvement as well.

Nearly a quarter of Monmouth County’s approximately 620,000 citizens now live in a jurisdiction patrolled by police now promoting SAFE PLACE. With more than 150 SAFE PLACE locations countywide, both numbers are sure to keep growing.

And we couldn’t be more pleased by the collective effort to promote a safer, friendlier, and more inclusive environment for all of those who live, work, or visit.