Middle Twp. Employee of the Month credited with helping residents navigate change
Police Records Office Manager recognized for valuable guidance on new online firearms system
Middle Township Police Records Office Manager Sandy Wilson helps process hundreds of firearms applications each year. A recent switch to an online system had some residents struggling, but Wilson patiently walked them through the steps.
When Middle Township residents needed help figuring out the state’s new online firearms permit system, Sandy Wilson had their back.
The Police Records Office Manager fielded a steady stream of phone calls after the New Jersey State Police transitioned to a digital application process in September 2020.
At the same time, Middle Township was experiencing a dramatic surge in gun applications similar to what was occurring at the state and national level. New Jersey’s gun permit requests more than quadrupled to 442,214 in 2020 over the previous year. Middle Township recorded a 66 percent increase in applications last year.
For her role in managing the heavy volume along with the new system, Wilson was named Middle Township’s Employee of the Month. She will receive a certificate at the Township Committee meeting on June 7.
Wilson was nominated for the honor by Middle Township Police Department Administrative Assistant Kendra Karstens.
“Sandy deserves to be recognized for the amount of time and attention that she has spent adapting to recent changes in New Jersey laws that completely replaced how she receives, processes and issues gun permits,” Karstens said. “I personally have observed numerous phone calls where Sandy has gone above and beyond in kindly assisting tech-challenged residents with explaining the online application process and walking them through it, sometimes step by step.”
Processing firearms applications was one of the first tasks Wilson learned when she joined the Township as a clerk in 2014.
“When assisting residents, I try to be as helpful and resourceful as possible. If I don’t know the answer to a question they have, I will go out of my way to find the correct answer,” she said. “It not only helps the resident, but also helps me gain my own personal knowledge.”
One of the favorite parts of her job is getting positive feedback from constituents.
“When I can end a phone call or walk away from an interaction with a resident and have them say, ‘Thank you for all your help!’ that to me is rewarding,” Wilson said.
Even with the added volume of work over the past year, Wilson has ensured that residents quickly receive records such as change-of-address cards.
Karstens said she is not surprised that her “absolutely amazing colleague” keeps up with it all.
“It is because of Sandy’s dedication to the MTPD Records Department, coupled with her continuous hard work, that allows us to continue giving the residents of Middle Township this exceptional level of service.”
