Has 15 years experience as a police officer. Now he serves as District Manager for KD National Force Security managing security for Cumberland Regional High School, Hopewell Crest School, in Hopewell, and Cumberland Christian School, in Vineland. His broad experience has given him insights into our most pressing social issues including education, drug addiction, and homelessness.

Eddie Bonner did not attend the candidates forum.

Full Youtube Interview

Summarized/Paraphrased Q&A

To note: A "general discussion point" is a summarized part of the video that might not have come from a direct question and answer format, but part of a tangent or general discussion.


1. Host: Why do you think the we from flipped from blue to red?

Bonner: Democrats will not come out and vote.


2. Host: Why is there a reluctance from democrats to vote?

Bonner: In my opinion, the majority of democrats are people of color. And I question them, saying "you will protest but you won’t vote. And they say “Does my vote really count? Why should I vote?” I try to explain to them that we had to fight for our right to vote, but they still don’t get it. We have to get them to the polls.


3. Host: Why do you think the latinos will vote republican, but not the black community?

Bonner: After having conversations with them, they think it doesn’t matter.


4. General discussion point: Wholeheartedly agrees that voter ID laws were abused to disenfranchise communities. Hand-counts in Arizona showed 46 mistakes, which leads to the conclusion that more people voted democrat than republican.


5. General discussion point: Young people are disinterested because they feel their votes don’t count and their voices aren’t being heard. I’m going to make everybody’s voice heard. I’m going to be the people’s voice. Politicians forget that you are elected at the will of the people, you serve the people. You have to be reachable, you have to be attainable. You have to listen to people vent and take notes so you can identify what the problems are.


6. Host: How has your life shaped your politics?

Bonner: I went to school to be a draftsman in 1982. My friend and I got pulled over. The officer went up one side of me and down the other. But when he talked to my white friend, it was a totally different tone. I started to complain about it, but my father said “Are you going to complain about it, or are you going to do something about it?” So I signed up for the police academy, and I made a difference. I want to continue to make a difference. I have no problem speaking my mind.


7. Host: How did law enforcement change during the 12 years you were involved?

Bonner: Police officers can’t be police officers anymore. Every profession has bad apples, but we shouldn’t be lumping the bad ones in with the good ones. I support law enforcement, we just need to hold the bad apples accountable.


8. Why do you think the far left will use terms like ACAB (all cops are bastards) and take an anti-law enforcement stance?

Bonner: Historically, people of color were treated poorly. And still sometimes officers will approach a situation with a poor attitude. They should start by trying to de-escalate, and then if that doesn’t work, they should do their job. Most people that are anti-police officer are only that way until they need one. We have to get back to community policing. My partner and I would park our car in probably the worst neighborhood in Bridgeton, and we walked. The police officers don’t know the people in the community anymore, because we’ve gotten away from community policing.


9. Host: What do you think of the Black Lives Matter movement?

Bonner: I don’t agree with some of their philosophies, however, black lives do matter and there have been both historic and current disparities between whites and people of color. But also, we are teaching a ‘master-slave’ mentality. We should get away from that. Our kids are 87 different colors and they all get along, but we teach them hate.


10. Host: What are your top priorities for when you get to the state legislature?

Bonner: Big on law enforcement and education. If we can’t get all of our people educated, we’re lost. Which is another reason why people don’t vote, they’re not educated. But we’ve taken away the power to teach and the power to discipline away from the educators. I’m a 62 year old senior citizen, I don’t want to rely on the new generation of uneducated and undisciplined people to take care of me. We need to give educators the authority that they used to have. I am also big on women’s rights. I’m a man, I can’t tell a woman what to do with her body.


11. Host: Why do you think educators have had their hands tied, especially by parents who are quick to blame the school, teachers, and administrators?

Bonner: They took away the authority to discipline and teach kids. Because a random parent complained about their child being disciplined, but leave out the part where the child clearly misbehaved. Parents need to put more energy into making sure their kids behave and focus on learning. There’s a big difference between discipline and abuse.


12. Host: What are your ideas for updating education and law enforcement?

Bonner: You have to let police officers do their job, but also we shouldn’t be abusing qualified immunity.


13. Host: How would you convince republican voters to trust you and your team?

Bonner: I don’t think we should be making false promises, so I don’t make them. But I say 'if we work together, we can get things done.' I also don’t like talking to people over the phone, I prefer to talk to them in person, because when you look into people’s eyes you can see their soul. Even if you’re a republican, I will talk to you in a way that suggests 'how we can get it done, not how I can get it done.’


14. Host: Who are some of your political role-models?

Bonner: I’m just me. I watch people.


15. Host: What are some things Donald Trump has said that has resonated with you?

Bonner: People should come into the country legally. Some people come here illegally and we give them the world while we have homeless citizens who have nothing. You have to take care of home before you take someone from outside.


16. Host: What do you think about NJ giving driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants?

Bonner: I don't agree with it.