Complaint Filed Against Jackson Township Police Dept. For Violating NJ Gun Laws

Opinion by Alexander Roubian, NJ2AS

Complaint Filed Against Jackson Township Police Dept. For Violating NJ Gun Laws
Complaint Filed Against Jackson Township Police Dept. For Violating NJ Gun Laws

New Jersey – -(AmmoLand.com)- Regardless of what anyone thinks about the Second Amendment, we should all agree that the job of law enforcement is to uphold and enforce the law. Many law enforcement officers do just that. Some, like Jackson Township Chief of Police Matthew Kunz, have decided to place their personal feelings and agenda above the law and the Constitution.

Our citizen advocates have alerted us that Chief Kunz is arbitrarily requiring firearm applicants to submit their fingerprints for a handgun permit if it has been more than two years since they last provided them. Chief Kunz is brazenly not following New Jersey state law, administration code and guidelines and undermining the Second Amendment freedoms of the people he exists to serve and protect. And we are going to hold him accountable.

On May 21, the New Jersey Second Amendment Society (NJ2AS) filed a formal complaint to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer and the New Jersey Attorney General’s office, urging them to investigate the Jackson Township Police Department for violating state law and take action. You can read the complaint to the NJ Attorney General by clicking here, and click here to read the complaint to the Ocean County Prosecutor. It is intolerable for law enforcement to break the law and we need your help to hold Mr. Kunz accountable.

New Jersey law (NJ Statutes Annotated 2C:58-3, NJ Administrative Code 13:54-1.4 or in the New Jersey State Police Firearms Applicant Investigation Guide) is clear about the process for obtaining a firearms identification card and handgun permit. You can read a complete summary here, but the basic process is:

  • Fill out the STS-33 application,
  • Consent to a mental health background check,
  • Provide two references, and
  • Submit fingerprints once.

In fact, the law includes clauses specifying that applicants “need not be fingerprinted again” and “no additional requirements” shall be imposed. We clearly spelled out the law and rules in our complaints, something Chief Kunz swore he would uphold.

For some Jackson Township residents, being forced to undergo additional fingerprinting may just be the latest outrage of exercising their Second Amendment rights in the state of New Jersey. But for others the additional requirement may be a life-and-death delay on their ability to protect themselves.

Low-income residents may not be able to afford the $52+ average fingerprinting cost. Others may not be able to take time off work to make a fingerprinting appointment. But hey, as one of the highest paid Chiefs in New Jersey, with a salary of over $200,000, that is pocket change for Chief Kunz.

 Jackson Township Chief of Police Matthew Kunz
Jackson Township Chief of Police Matthew Kunz

Regardless of how much of a burden it imposes, Jackson Township’s requirement is simply not required and added to deter people from exercising their constitutional right. If Chief Kunz merely required applicants to touch their nose in order to obtain a permit, it would be illegal.

Sadly, Chief Kunz is the latest in a long line of New Jersey bureaucrats who think they are above the law and who are limiting the constitutional rights of their citizens to obtain a firearm and defend themselves.

And we are going to hold him accountable. Will you help us?

Want to go even further and stand up to bureaucrats like Chief Kunz? Join the New Jersey Second Amendment Society by clicking here and count yourself among thousands of patriots across the state. New Jersey bureaucrats can try to bully us, but we have strength in numbers. Please join today and help us expose the bullies and hold them accountable.


About the New Jersey Second Amendment Society:New Jersey Second Amendment Society

New Jersey Second Amendment Society – Our mission is to promote the free exercise of Second Amendment rights within the community and Legislature of New Jersey, to educate the community regarding the enjoyable, safe, and responsible use of firearms, and to engender a sense of camaraderie and fellowship among the members and their families. Visit: www.nj2as.org

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skybill

All bets are OFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!!!!!!
It’s now “Jungle Rules!!!”
Whatda’ya”xpect???????????
As The Late Mike Vanderboegh would say…
“It’ New Jersey!!!…. Behind Enemy Lines!!!!!!!!”

Got GUNZ…….OUTLAW!!!!!!,
straight shooter-out

son of liberty, fortunate son

Citizens of NJ, organize, organize, organize, raise money, hire pit bull lawyers of like mind, start networking
everyone knows people of like mind. We are on the side of right, we have the constitution on our side, they win
because they are organized. Politicians hate people who are right, they laugh every time they hear, “shall not
be infringed.” We the people need to take these politicians to task. We need to organize big time, how do you
think Obama became president, organized at the grassroots level and grew it. I’m done, lets roll.

Laissez-fai[lu]re

This police chief is clearly in violation of this law. If the department lost the fingerprint records, it is their financial responsibility and their responsibility to schedule with everyone affected. Considering that these records should have been digitized 15-20 years ago I seriously doubt that. This was either a gross oversight of the law or a deliberate attempt to hassle law-abiding citizens, and in either case it is an embarrassment to the department.

jrod

So is it that a peson’s prints change after 2 years? If i recall, prints are the same for life unless you alter them. So whats the real reason?

Felon/educated

Ive already left onecomment nut after reading a few other replies and comments i feel the need to educate some of you. If you look in the United States Code book Title or book 6, Homeland secutity, for those of you who dont know where to find your laws and look at 101 sect 18 . It reads as follows -(18) The term “terrorism” means any activity that— (A) involves an act that— (i) is dangerous to human life or potentially destructive of critical infrastructure or key resources; and (ii) is a violation of the criminal laws of the United… Read more »

PsychoUSMC

You have to have one from A and one from B, hence the small word “and” just before B starts.

Thomas

Traffic tickets are usually considered ‘civil’ violations, not ‘criminal’.

tomcat

Unfortunately, you folks in NJ voted, or didn’t bother to vote, and let the power hungry little minions in to rule over you. You certainly are not alone because there are many states that this affliction has taken over. It is now time to exercise your voter responsibility unless you want to live under the thumb a power hungry no nothing, do nothing.

Tad Pole

If this POS white trash violated his Oath of Office then in my books your done.

Gregory S. Armand

“When policemen break the law, then there isn’t any law – just a fight for survival.”

Might have been written in the 70’s but still valid today!

NomorBS

Unfortunately our representatives in DC are setting the examples by not enforcing our laws.
Borders? The house, Logan act? John Kerry, legal weed? Several states but not federal government.
Choosing which laws to enforce or break seems to be the norm.

Missouri Born

Does this sheriff have a sanctuary county and allow illegals to roam free and not inform ICE of any arrests of illegals?

July Hunter

You should see Lakewood, NJ. It’s a part of Jackson Twp., I do believe. Used to be a town of large, stately houses that were then bought up. The large rooms were petitioned off, and rented out at 20 or so to a house, full of illegals. The new landowners wives would drive their BMW’s and Mercedes down to the WIC office every month, and apply for benefits under yet another name. Of course, the tenants were doing the same. It seems that some people have a vested interest in poverty.

Harold Golden PhD

Welcome to the New Obamanation!

James

It’s fascinating to me how people love to see their names in print and what they say in print whether it is pertinent or not! Sticking to the basics, I just have one simple and direct question to Jackson PD why do they require the prints a second time? Have they lost the records have they been destroyed? Prints do not change last time I checked! So yes, it is quite a strain to repay those incredulous fees and take time off from work to travel to those places Etc. Again, what is the reasoning behind the second print? Jackson… Read more »

WV Bill

Why do people that violate their oath of office not get removed from office? This country would surely be better off.

roscoethehat

That dear friend is a great and mostly ignored question. Taking an OATH has for centuries been the strongest of contract agreements or Promises. In our time, however, the swearing, an oath or Taking an oath has been relegated to a ceremonial display. It is well past time the very definition of one’s OATH be re-visited and the gravity of making such an oath, (promise, Contract) be afforded specific recompense when violated. Our promise has become rhetorical by the popular “walking back” and “misspoke” arguments. They amount to the same thing. A lie and a broken oath. We need to… Read more »

Laissez-fai[lur]e

Well, if we removed those politicians who violate their oaths to serve the American people, we’d currently be looking for several hundred Congressmen and I have no idea who would end up being President.
With that in mind I whole-heartedly agree.

Philip Cramer

Good for the chief. Anything that can be done to make it harder to get and keep personal firearms is a good thing.
Fuck what the law says. Trump doesn’t follow the law.

toomanyhobbies

really I hope that is sarcasm because Obummer violated multiple laws; Trump has a staff of lawyers to make sure he is right and has been many more times than the previous was….

Jeffersonian

“People with poor impulse control project that characteristic onto others too.”

https://www.ammoland.com/2019/05/gun-control-projection-and-poor-impulse-control/

It’s not Republican NRA members with MAGA hats shooting up the schools. No matter how much you wish we would.

David

Amen, Brother. Well put.

Harmon Ford

As I read this article, I was not paying much attention to the name of this ‘chief ‘. Then l got to his picture. l thought he looked like he would have made a perfect member of Germany’s Waffen SS from WWII. Next, as I scrolled down, l came to his name ‘KUNZ’. OH, the irony!

Heed the Call-up

Harmon, he does not appear to me to have a family resemblance. And also from what I read, Helmut Kunz was only a dentist and had nothing to do with any war crimes, etc. The Kunz in this story is not a “good Nazi” as he is not following the law nor dictates or edicts of the Governor.

July Hunter

Yup Harmon, Hitler had up to 150,000 Eastern European AskeNAZI Khazars employed in his Wehrmacht. Kunz would be a dead ringer for any of them. Fit right in, he would !

Joe

So you want the law enforcement community to enforce all the laws, do you? What about those sheriff’s who have decided not to enforce anti-gun laws, such as magazine bans, because they unilaterally decided those laws violate the 2A? Do you want them to enforce all the laws also. I don’t think we can have it both ways.

Heed the Call-up

Joe, we want them to enforce laws that meet Constitutional standards. All laws on firearms are not Constitutional since the 2A states “shall not be infringed”. There is no language in New Jersey’s Constitution relating directly to firearm ownership, but it states that government is to benefit the people and the people have the right to pursue and obtain safety. He seems to be convening that Constitution, too.

toomanyhobbies

actually sheriffs have a legal right not to enforce any law they deem unconstitutional or illegal…. and a Sherrif have the authority to arrest federal officers…

Lurch

Look at the sheriffs on the other side, refusing to apply the penal codes of Washington and Oregon.

David

Precisely. Our former Sheriff in Linn County, Oregon, was the first in the nation to become a Constitutional Sheriff. It saddens me that my now former state-of-residence is following the likes of Ginny Burdick and heading down the primrose path of more “stringent” firearm laws. Mind you there is always the Federal 4473 form that needs to be filled out every time one purchases, and there are no longer any private transactions allowed there. What they will not admit is understanding of the process that already exists. Not only does one have to have a photo taken at the Sheriff’s… Read more »

RegT

I left Oregon in 2008, but it used to be the case that if you had a concealed carry permit, the dealer didn’t have to run a background check (as is the case here in Montana). Has that changed? I bought two Ruger Ranch rifles in K-Falls, years ago (1990), and didn’t have to have a background check run, and bought three other firearms in Roseberg in the mid-2000s without the need for a check.

Charles Moore

Well, since unconstitutional “laws” are not LAW . . . . .

Tionico

“Laws” not in accord with the Constitution as currently ammended are not law at all,, are thus null, void, and of no effect. Those honourable sheriffs swore their oath to uphold the CONSTITUTION of both the USA and of their own state, prior to taking office. No sheriff or other office holder ever swears to enforce all writings purporting to be law, only those that ARE law. And this NJ clown is not even upholding existing unconstitutional Mew Jersey law. He SHOULD be charged with felony perjury for failing to keep his sworn oath as head copper. Once convicted, that… Read more »

Cymond

It’s one thing to not enforce the law.
It’s another thing to enforce your own made-up laws, in direct contradiction of the actual law.

Michael Enderle

I think this is a pretty slippery slope here. Here in Colorado I’m overjoyed for LEOs who defy our corrupt state laws. If I’m to endorse lawbreaker in one case, logically lawbreaking is good if it serves my agenda. I would rather leave the law argument out (2A and Constitution also) because it’s a dumb argument. If the 2A was totally repealed, I still wouldn’t submit. Therefore our focus should be on the practical “Gun ownership saves lives.” and not “What would the founding fathers want?” Or “Is this legal?”. The law and political process are not on our side.… Read more »

KuhnKat

Your problem is whether the law(s) are Constitutional in the first place… If they are not it is your DUTY to ignore them and work to change them.

Sometimes life isn’t simple or easy.

Wild Bill

@Kuhnkat, I would, only, add that the unconstitutional acts of the Congress, various legislatures, county and city ordinances are only acts or statutes and not “law” at all. If one were to ignore those unconstitutional acts, it might be best to ignore them covertly or very, very overtly.

toomanyhobbies

and as I said above and reiterate
sheriffs have a legal right not to enforce any law they deem unconstitutional or illegal…. and a Sherrif have the authority to arrest federal officers…

Wild Bill

@toomanyhobbies, How did you come to those two conclusions? And under what circumstances?

Vanns40

Your entire premise fails because it revolves around “what firearms laws do we obey and what laws do we ignore”. ALL firearms laws are flawed since their stated goal is preventing criminals access to firearms but, in fact, they only impact law abiding citizens and, according to judicial rulings, criminals are exempt from all gun control legislation. Logic then dictates that all laws against an inanimate object, guns, should be repealed and our efforts should be concentrated on the person who commits the crime of rape, murder or assault with ANY weapon.

James

Gun control doesn’t work! Criminals will always find ways to acquire their firearms! Common sense dictates a sane man/woman with a gun is effective against an insane man/woman with a gun. The only thing gun control achieves is to erode the citizen’s self defense.

Thomas Patitucci

People who give up freedom for security get neither. Criminals will always have guns why should I prove a need NJ needs to be a shall issue state

Philip Cramer

That’s simply not true I know hundreds if people that break the law everyday. Almost none of them own guns. Remember if you break the law it’s a crime. Therefore if you commit a crime you are a criminal.

David

So what, Mr. Cramer? I know lots of people who are law-abiding permit holders. When one is willing to submit to the auspices of the laws and statutes, as well as the state Constitution, plus the Feds in obtaining a permit, sufficient proof of being a law-abiding good citizen is granted and a permit is issued.

Why don’t you investigate a tad further and see how miniscule the number and percentage of legal permit holders commit any kind of violent crime. We ARE the good guys.

RotaryConnected

@Cramer….A study was done, and it was found that most everyone can easily commit 3 felonies inadvertently every day. If you ever go to a law library, you will see rows and rows full of books explaining all the things that are illegal. So, without even knowing it, many laws are broken, and most of the people didn’t even know there was such a law. I heard, for example, that if you are walking your dog within, say, 10 feet of the fence surrounding a federal facility, you may be committing a felony if the leash is longer than, say,… Read more »

James Rutter

Which is why a proposed law should be accompanied by a sunset date and a repeal of two existing laws.

Deborah

Buy you guns illegally only way now f—— the law

Charlie Andrews iii

I agree can him!!!!

Felon/educated

Your all completly brainwashed by all this “you have to do this and you have to do that” crap, we all have the inalienable right to defend ourselves, nobody has the right to limit your ability to do so. Your elected politicians have created these rules about licences, permits and fingerprints down through time, now your feeling the effects of a cop who feels he has authority over you, why ? Because he has a gun already and if you attempt to overthrow their law you will become a target. Shoot first then get fingerprinted after is what i say.

Constitution

Agree

Vee

This article is repulsive and the lack or deceny in our country has steadily sloped downwards. The language and supporting people who are violating of 2A is ridiculous!! Have a nice memorial day and enjoy your gun permits unviolated. Yes we’re gun permitted and proud holders.

Constitution

Law where put into place for niggers not to have anything. The right to bare arm’s mean just that. The constitution doesn’t say you need a gun permit, if you need a permit it’s not a right to bare arm’s. Let’s not Call American citizens thugs and criminals, when the biggest crooks are cop’s who break the law by not respecting the constitution or their oath of office, judges let’s not talk about crooks when they pass bill to bind the people for us all to be in the system etc, let’s not forget lawyers who do more bad then… Read more »

Dave C

Come back when you’ve graduated 5th grade…. You need to work on sentence structure, spelling, grammar, punctuation, and respect for your fellow man!

Ransom

100% agree. This tool needs to STFU! He’s the only one fitting the description “nigger” that he’s foisting upon his intellectual betters.

Roy D.

New Jersey is called the “Garden State” because of the large amounts of fertilizer there. I think I can smell it from here.

Batman

Low income can’t afford $52.00 for fingerprints LOL. How are they going to afford a gun then. This is a new world we live in . Time to revise the second amendment. Again, great job Chief. He’s only out to protect the citizens. Unless you complainers are on the streets actually seeing what’s going on you should sit back and relax.

John

You missed the point. The legislature enacted the law – the Chief is suppose to uphold the law as written, not rewrite it, not expand it, regardless if you, he or anyone else thinks his executive fiat is righteous.

Rewrite the 2nd Amendment? Applying your analogy, we should rewrite the First Amendment; maybe then stupid thoughts will no longer be allowed to be placed in print.

History again proves, limiting, restricting, law abiding citizens in the exercise of Rights benefits no one, except for the criminal element and self serving politicians!

Happy Memorial Day. God Bless Our Troops.

Wild Bill

@John Dunlap, Butman thinks that he is smarter than the founding fathers, and would make changes like he changes channels on TV. That thoughtful group of men, however, were a step ahead of him on every part of the Constitution, and willy-nilly changing the Constitution.

SK

I fail to see how this protects the citizens. Law abiding citizens are the only ones affected by this. Criminals are criminals for a reason. They do not abide by laws.

Neohippie

$52.00 dollars for finger prints, $2 dollars for permit, $20 dollars for mental heath, and $15.99 for federal check plus time missed from work is about $100 for a pistol permit in nj. The govenor is tring to increase the permit cost so yes its hard for low income people to afford a pistol. Did i mention are 7% percent sales taxes? Its ridiculous to pay a$100 dollars for permit.

Dale Burkhart

He should have to pay for the check if he wants it and do it there check me all he wants I’m good but it should cost him his Job if you have a firearm card you don’t need another what is the purpose to make people madd?

VEE

I concur. Thabk goodness im not from Jackson!!

James

Gun control doesn’t work! Criminals will always find ways to acquire their firearms! Common sense dictates a sane man/woman with a gun is effective against an insane man/woman with a gun. The only thing gun control achieves is to erode the citizen’s self defense.

July Hunter

@Dale…It seems to me that NJ authorities are running a RICO racket to deprive law abiding citizens their Cinstitutional Rights. They are a bunch of FELONS, if you ask me. Not to mention being complicit in waging war against the 2A, which is TREASON. No one has a duty to obey or ENFORCE illegal, Unconstitutional laws.

Batman

Great job Chief. Keep the guns out of the hands of the criminals and the wackos. If you have nothing to hide what’s the problem?

Barbara Ayala

I agree- good job!

AC

So, you presumably fully support voter ID laws, too, right?

Can’t let non-citizens and convicted felons illegally vote, now can we?

Matt murphy

Convicted felons can vote agian learn the law

Baldwin

@AC…you wouldn’t let me, a stranger who has done nothing to create or maintain your home and family, let me just walk in and have a full and equal say in how you and your family live and function. Me either. On a larger scale, if you aren’t a citizen or are a convicted, violent felon (i.e. self-disqualifying scumbag)….no, you can’t vote . You’re not a part of my home or my extended family, my country.

Get Out

So you’re good with a police detective can use only their opinion to deny a person of their 2A Right because of their looks? What’s the purpose of the NICS when purchasing a weapon? Why does the local police require money to do a BGC on you that is done for free by the FBI? IMOA, its a gun control money making scheme and their records will show who has what and where its kept.

John Burroughs

You’re missing the point. We’ve already paid for fingerprints once, and criminals and wackos don’t go through the permit process, only law abiding citizens.

SweetOlBob

Dear Jerks: Fifty-two bucks makes a great point. There were times when I didn’t have an extra fifty-two to throw away at the whim of a grossly overpaid bureaucrat ! And Keeping who safe ? The honest people who can’t afford that kind of needless outlay are the ones who need the gun permit more than the sugar frosted, upper crust. You entitled snobs think money grows on trees ? How about the single mom waiting tables, or the widowed guy with kids who doesn’t have a cushy job like this tyrant Chief of Police. BTW: There ain’t no way… Read more »

Master Bateman

Eat a dick Bateman

Dave C

..… And your point is?

None

Uhh hey bozo, criminals don’t go to a police station to get a FID card , handgun permit to purchase and finger printed. The chief doesn’t want law abiding citizens to have firearms, period.

toomanyhobbies

so hassling the honest law abiding citizen keep people safe how? to quote another “IT’S THE CRIMINALS STUPID” how many of them do ya think go to a gun store to buy guns and ammo???

RotaryConnected

Hey Batz In The Belfry….Why don’t you go move to another country if you don’t like our US Constitution, which is the Supreme Law of the Land. Seems to me that this person is only depriving the law abiding of their Constitutional rights. Seems to me that he is acting like a little Hitler, like his Traitorous Givernor and Attorney General, and their dirt bag Senators want. He is one of them sitting up in his ivory tower with his over priced salary and pension, and his arsenal of guns and protection around him. NJ is full of dirtbags like… Read more »

Salvatore Trentacoste

Well people.in the Communist States of America.the Bill of Rghts i and the Constitution are things that all GOVERMENT STOODGES USE FOR TOILET PAPER. If they had their way all legal gun owners who never committed a crime would be in jail. It is this mind set that allowes THUGS, CRIMINALS AND ILLEGALS THAT COMMITE VIOLENT CRINE WALK AROUND FREE TO ABUST THE CITIZENS OF NJ OR THE COUNTRY WITH ILLIGALLE OBTAINED FIREARMS.YOU ALL KNOW THE ONES I SPEAK OF. BOUGHT on the street ftom gun runner no paperwork,background checks requored.It is cash on the barrel head and NO QUESTIONS… Read more »

Sarah McDonald

At least spell check is still legal. You should try it!

s

Oh ! Goodie – good – good for you Sarah ! I’ll bet you’re a real good Speller !
But as long as the thought is there, and lucid, a few spelling errors should be overlooked. Now, if you are a stupid, gun controlling, typical N.J. tyrant, dotting every T and crossing every i may be just up your alley.

TheHolyCrow

Salvatore…You seem to have a point about the criminals who buy guns in the street. Gov. Murphy of NJ has made the state a Sanctuary State, and thousands of South American and Mexican gang members are moving in. Despite Trumps rhetoric, 185,000 migrants have been dumped into the Sanctuary Cities (including NJ) during the past few months. That amounts to about 1,100 per day, or 3 football stadiums of 60,000 each. Amongst them, there will be thousands of terrorrists, gang members, sick people….and they will be arming up with the street weapons. These traitors who are infringing on the law… Read more »

Sisu

“… we should all agree that the job of law enforcement is to uphold and enforce the [insert: LAWFUL] law.”

m.

i honor constitutional police work by officers in America, unconstitutional = FU

m.

maybe gov. murky/murphy & the gerbil are directing traffic for this guy? hey, “judges” do what they like here in muslim America, so why not?.

JDH

His last name needs a “T” after the N.

Baldwin

“Consent to a mental health background check,
Provide two references, and
Submit fingerprints once.”
Please sir, may I have some more infringement?

Chris

Yes you can, remember its a privilege to have your rights infringed upon. if you buy enough permits, consent to all infringements , cover your eye’s and ear’s and have a good imagination you can experience what freedom truly is.

Ton E

Yep. Take what’s mine and then lend me scraps from my own stuff. Thank you massa!