Bergen County to use rapid response units to guard schools, malls and houses of worship
The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office and Sheriff's Office will station rapid response units at schools, malls and houses of worship in response to back-to-back mass shootings that have rattled the public and left multiple communities grief-stricken, as the nation sees no end to the ongoing carnage from lone gunmen.
Authorities announced the move Wednesday, assuring residents that increased law enforcement presence at public places is merely a deterrent for would-be shooters and a cautionary measure.
The county wants "the public to be aware that seeing tactically dressed officers does not mean there has been an incident or that they’re responding to a call," said Elizabeth Rebein, a spokesperson with the Prosecutor's Office.
Units will be deployed to schools throughout the county in the final weeks before summer break, and will focus on houses of prayer during "strategic times" throughout the summer, prosecutors said.
Related: Phil Murphy calls for stricter gun laws, tries to shame GOP after deadly Texas shooting
Jason Love, chief of detectives with the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office, noted that the units will be in full tactical gear, including helmets and carrying rifles, but cautioned there should be no cause for concern.
"Although there is no credible threat to our area, we feel it is important to heighten our deployment and presence in and around houses of worship starting this weekend," Love said.
Mike Kelly: America is losing its soul to guns, but our politicians don't seem to care
Rebein declined to elaborate, saying her office did not want to release specific dates or times teams would be stationed at various sites.
"Communities should feel safe whether it’s a holiday or not," Rebein added.
The decision comes as the nation copes after yet another school shooting, this time at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, where an 18-year-old gunman opened fire, killing 19 children and two teachers.
However, that attack was only the latest in a recent string of horrifying and biased bloodshed, including shootings inside a supermarket in a predominantly Black enclave in Buffalo, New York, and at a Taiwanese church in Laguna Woods, California.
The Prosecutor's Office urges residents to report acts of bias to their local police or through the Bias Incident Reporting Form on the New Jersey attorney general’s website at njoag.gov.
Nicholas Katzban is a breaking news reporter for NorthJersey.com. To get breaking news directly to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.
Email: katzban@northjersey.com
Twitter: @nicholaskatzban
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Bergen County NJ schools to be guarded after Texas shooting
