Opinion: Atlantic County Prosecutor One of the Best in NJ

I spend a lot of time talking about the dangers of the current bail reform program, which has essentially created a revolving door for criminals across the state.

Thanks to a strong, disciplined prosecutor in one county, residents can rest a little easier than the rest of the state.

Atlantic County Prosecutor William Reynolds is leading the state in getting judges to put perps behind bars. But he's also got his finger on the pulse of the community, especially when it comes to special needs families.

Reynolds took the time out of his crime-busting duties to welcome in a special needs man who has set a bit of a record himself.

Alex Mann is a 23-year-old from Malvern, Pennsylvania, who has autism.

Alex has made it a mission to visit as many law enforcement agencies as possible to share his experience and perspective.

Before he arrived at the AC Prosecutors Office, Alex had visited 424 law enforcement agencies! He's covered ground throughout NJ, PA, Maryland, Delaware and California.

The ACPO welcomed Alex with open arms offering tours of the facility and the SWAT vehicles.

In addition to taking in Alex and spending time to learn and understand the needs of people with autism, the AC prosecutor's office works hard to make sure that the bad guys are brought to justice.

The AC office in particular has the best track record in New Jersey when it comes to detaining dangerous perpetrators despite the obstacle of 'bail reform'. Atlantic County leads the state in detention rates.

Reynolds, who has been in office just over a year, has been able to get judges to agree to detain suspects 48.9% of the time.

That's double digits ahead of the state average of 18.1%.

If we are going to take back our streets, having strong prosecutors who can be tough on crime like William Reynolds are a critical component.

It's equally impressive to see that Reynolds also recognizes the role his office plays in understanding the special needs community.

While getting the perps behind bars at a record-setting rate, Reynolds made a point to partner with local schools and police departments to help provide resources to special education classes working with middle school students with special needs.

Reynolds is an outstanding example of the best that law enforcement has to offer in the Garden State.