West Deptford asks NJ State Police to analyze threats to Republicans

West Deptford police have sent a handful of threats received by Republicans in town to New Jersey State Police to process for fingerprints and DNA.

Five Republicans, including two committeemen on the Democrat-controlled governing body, reported receiving threats in the mail at their homes, the last of which were discovered Saturday. They were first received last week by former mayor Ray Chintall, who is challenging Democratic Mayor Denice DiCarlo in next week's election.

One, typed with a ghoulish font and sent to Committeeman Jeff Hansen's home, read  "Your Dead on Halloween" and was signed, "The knights."

Police Chief Samuel DiSimone said results from the state could take weeks, or longer. He said added patrols would be in effect Saturday night and concentrated in neighborhoods where the recipients live.

"It's been quiet, knock wood, since" last weekend, DiSimone said.

Threats were also reported by Committeeman Jerry Maher, former committeeman John Keuler Jr., and local GOP Chairman Michael McManamy.

"Nobody deserves to have threats ... it's about people's lives," Hansen said. "I'm more worried about my family – my wife comes home at night, my mother-in-law lives with me."

He added: "It doesn't make the town look good at all – it really doesn't."

Those received in the mail included return addresses of different P.O. boxes in Westville, which were found to be fictitious, DiSimone said.