Gov. Murphy’s assault on public health and safety: All politics? (Opinion)

For the past few months, it seems there has been a direct assault on public safety.

We've discussed the reckless and dangerous policy in New Jersey where the governor is literally releasing thousands of prisoners into your neighborhoods in the name of "COVID protocols." We know that in some cases homicides have been committed and some of the released convicts stand accused.

The vicious cycle continues as the state is also facing a shortage of corrections officers making the job behind the walls more dangerous. The answer from the governor? Force officers to get vaccinated or be fired.

I recently wrote about this warning of the consequences of this misguided mandate.

There are 5,045 corrections officers in PBA 105 and according to their attorney Frank Crivelli who joined me on air Thursday, 35% are eligible to retire TODAY. Imagine if nearly 1,800 COs retired today and started collecting their well-deserved pension? The CO staff is already in crisis with a shortage of approximately 400 officers. To make matters worse, the ridiculous state mandate to test every week is causing HEALTHY people who test positive to quarantine for two weeks. If an unvaccinated officer is "exposed" to a person who tests positive, they are forced to quarantine as well. It's utter madness.

The last thing we need is a safety crisis created by this governor.

Beyond the obvious public safety dangers of both the mandates and the release program, there's the mandate that is perpetuating a shortage of nurses and health care workers. This shortage and staffing crisis was documented well before COVID.

We've heard the reports from people fighting for the right to determine their own treatment. We've heard the stories of people being isolated and excluded from health care facilities without a vaccine or a negative test. Through it all, the governor continues to push a mandate that clearly is not going to solve the existing and worsening crisis.

The question is why? Again, seems to me that Governor Murphy is playing politics with public health and public safety. He doubles down on a vaccine mandate that is causing stress and loss of income for thousands across the state.

The good news is that we have fighters who are speaking out on behalf of medical choice for our brave first responders.

This week I was joined by attorney Daryl Kipnis who is representing cops across the state, and new Assemblywoman Beth Sawyer, R-Gloucester, who stood up to the governor and the Democratic majority in the Legislature to make the case against the outrageous, unnecessary, and dangerous mandate policies.

Listen to my conversation with Daryl Kipnis here:

Listen to my conversation with Assemblywoman Beth Sawyer here:

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own. Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015.

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