A Hammonton coffee shop is the first to become an official Safe Place with the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office.
Atlantic County Safe Place is designed to address hate crimes.
The Prosecutor's Office has joined more than 350 international law enforcement agencies in receiving certification as a partner in Safe Place, which promotes safety, provides training and education, and supports victims and targets of biased incidents and hate crimes that take place in Atlantic County.
Hate crimes are those committed where race, color, religion, sex (including orientation or gender identity), ancestry, disability and/or marital status is a factor.
Casciano’s Coffee Shop & Sweetery on Bellevue Avenue in Hammonton is the first county business to officially sign on. It is owned by Linda Cashan.
Other businesses have followed, according to the Prosecutor's Office.
“Hammonton is an all-inclusive community that has a variety of individuals from different nations, cultures and preferences," Police Chief Kevin Friel said. "Our job is to keep everyone safe and keep our community the best that it can be.”
Owner Linda Cashen points to the Safe Place decal with LGBTQ+ Law Enforcement Liaison Detective Caryn Campanelli.
Bias and hate crimes and incidents are statistically underreported, often due to victim fear and apprehension about their complaint being disregarded, according to the office. When Safe Place is utilized, individuals looking for assistance will be treated with care, dignity, and respect from participating organizations and responding police departments.
The only responsibility of the individual in the public building or business is to allow them to safely wait there until the police arrive.
"I am proud of Atlantic County for taking this step to bring this program here, and to have a program that makes it abundantly clear that residents and visitors of all walks of life will be supported and protected here in Atlantic County," said county LGBTQ+ Law Enforcement Liaison Detective Caryn Campanelli.
ACPO will be reaching out to more communities across Atlantic County regarding Safe Place, including the police departments of all municipalities.
“The Safe Place decal signals to the public that that there is no place for hatred our communities, and that anyone feeling threatened based on who they are is welcome at that establishment,” Atlantic County Prosecutor William Reynolds said.
The initiative will be one of the four panel discussion topics at the “Breaking Bias: Bridging Divides in Criminal Justice” event on Sept. 13 in the Fannie Lou Hamer Room at Stockton University's Atlantic City Campus,.
Cashan will serve as a panelist to represent the business owner perspective and why Safe Place is important as a symbol of safety and equality in her business.
All Atlantic County businesses are invited to sign on.
Click here to learn more about Safe Place and/or register your business or public building.
Register for the panel event here.
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