Letter from Lakewood Police Chief Greg Meyer

Police Chief Greg Meyer submitted the following letter to TLS:

Since the onset of this outbreak, we have been living day to day listening to the news, advice from medical experts, rumors and pleas from local authorities.

I have to say, in Lakewood, a city of over 100,000 residents made up of all walks of life, living and working in 26 square miles, that we have had great compliance with Governor Murphy’s declaration of a state of emergency.

To date, we are still advised to slow the spread or flatten the curve, lower the spike – whatever terminology you want to use – that the only way to slow the spread is to stay home.

DO not go to work, close the non-essential businesses, no social gatherings, weddings, bar mitzvas, funerals, no school, religious services in churches, synagogues, mosques etc. By staying home, we can curb the spread of the disease, and by washing hands and using hand sanitizers we can stop the spread.

With the weather getting warmer and the sun shining, we must remember to keep our children from playing with neighbors, keep a social distance (6 feet apart) and limit our interactions with others. While grocery stores and pharmacies remain open, we must be responsible when running an errand, by not taking the entire family out and remembering we still have some days left in this closure or shutdown.

While our officers still have to work at the police department, fire fighters, first aiders, doctors, nurses and volunteers all still have to come to work to keep us safe and sound, we ask that you help us limit our exposure with having to come into contact with the general public. Township offices are now closed to the public, and we all have to do our part so we can get through the hard times. By working together, we can get through this.

I ask you to please stay home, limit outside travel, practice safe practices, wash your hands frequently, pay close attention to your children and phone your sick and elderly and check in with them daily. We shall overcome this and come out stronger and more resilient than before. Please remain calm cool and patient during these days ahead.

I am proud to be the chief of such an amazing city, and will do my best to keep everyone safe and sound.

Stay home, stay safe,

Chief Gregory H. Meyer

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11 COMMENTS

    • @GO: What do u define as religious purposes? Every religious leader has echoed the words of our devoted Chief. They all say it is currently AGAINST our religion to convene at all for any “religious purposes”. And anyone who is “religious” listens to our religious leaders.

    • The chief didn’t say that’s from the governor he says that he cares about our community and has seen enough death. Stay home period. All the religious leaders and doctors agree stay home to save lives. Wh6 would you be cynical regarding something that can kill. I think all the people in Westgate understand why there should be no religious services.

  1. To Go; we need to be 100 times stricter than the “law” in these times. Its not about what’s allowed. Do as the law and Gedolim tell us. Do not leave your house unless extremely essential such as food shopping. Don’t be a machmir on other people’s lives.

  2. #3 – just curious where would you want to go if anyway you cannot daven or pray with a group of people or a minyan. You may just as well stay home.

  3. Being that it Pesach season time children are out with semi supervision and are definitely mingling . Most families do not have access to the internet to see or even comprehend the severity of it all . Perhaps loudspeakers that are not to loud but easy for people to hear and understand might be appropriate.
    People don’t enjoy picking up their home phones /cell phones robo calls interstate keep coming in. Lack of knowledge of what the chief and government are saying need to be enforced in an unfrightening fashion ; ; getting the adults and children to comprehend the severity of children gathering with their neighbors is not a simple task.

  4. Hi Anonymous- I live in a neighborhood where people have limited access to internet and can say unequivocally that there is NO intermingling between children from different families.Is it possible that what you’re seeing as intermingling is really just individual families playing together? That being said, if there are individuals who haven’t gotten the message, we definetly nust find a way..on another note- thanks Chief for your amazing leadership- especially in this challenging time.

Comments are closed.