Jackson township hires veteran cop as director of public safety

JACKSON TOWNSHIP, NJ – On Tuesday, the Jackson Township Council announced the appointment of veteran Jackson Township Police Department Sgt. Joseph Candido to the position of Director of Public Safety.

Under the new command structure, incoming Public Safety Director Candido will oversee the administration of the 110+ officer police department and serve as the liaison between the township administration and the police department under the supervision of Chief Matthew Kunz.

Chief Kunz will continue to manage the department’s day-to-day operations.

Photo: jackson township hires veteran cop as director of public safety

“This is a force multiplier,” said Mayor Michael Reina. “Not only does it allow the chief of police to handle the day-to-day management of our police officers and the security of the township, but it also frees him from the constant bombardment of new mandates, regulations, and changes being directed at police officers and departments statewide by the Attorney General’s Office. This position does not replace our chief of police; it complements our chief of police and our department.”

The resolution to appoint Candido was unanimous, with the Jackson Township Council voting 5-0 in favor of his appointment.

“I’m looking forward to working with everybody, being transparent, and moving us forward from where we are right now,” incoming Director Candido said. ‘I want to thank the men and women in the Jackson Township Police Department; without them, I wouldn’t be who I am. They are an amazing group of men and women with such talent, and we’re going to make it shine even more when we work together.”

Sgt. John Rodriguez, President of the Jackson PBA, said on behalf of his union and the SOA, which represents the supervisory officers of the department, “We would like to thank the council, the mayor, and Business Administrator Terence Wall for your help in getting this done and getting us to this point. There is no one better suited for this position. You have made an outstanding choice, and we all look forward to the progress that the police department will make under the leadership of Director Candido.”

“We have worked long and hard and have done our due diligence on this,” said Council President Jennifer Kuhn. “We have met with both unions, the rank-and-file police officers, business owners, and citizens, and all agree that at this time, this position is needed to help us avoid some of the issues we have experienced in recent years.”

Mr. Candido has an exemplary record as a police officer and in our community,” Burnstein said. “As we look around at the crime targeting Jackson and surrounding towns, we need an experienced veteran to help guide us through the changing landscape in Trenton and to allow our chief to focus on the job of policing and keeping our community safe.”

Councilman Nino Borelli wished incoming Director Candido well and said he looks forward to seeing the director and chief of police work together for the betterment of the community.

“This position will ensure our department complies with regulations recently imposed by Trenton and is ready for whatever changes occur to continue to reform policing standards in New Jersey,” Reina said. This position allows our chief and our officers to focus on keeping our community safe, while the new director role will navigate our town and our department through the regulations and red tape.”

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.