Well, it still speaks to the regrettable image that the state of NJ has as a whole...
----- Original Message ----- From: "Kelwyn" <ravena...@yahoo.com> To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Sent: Sunday, April 4, 2010 9:24:03 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: [scifinoir2] Re: OT: Newark Records First Murder-Free Month in Decades My bad. I guess what is truly sad is that I read an article about TRENTON, N.J. and ASSUMED it was referring to Newark. Wow. ~(no)rave! --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com , "Kelwyn" <ravena...@...> wrote: > > It is Newark's fate that when they should be touting a murder-free month this > is what predominates the news regarding Newark: > > http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/03/5-charged-in-gang-rape-of_n_524501.html > > > TRENTON, N.J. — Two men and three teenage boys were charged Saturday with > gang-raping a 7-year-old girl who was sold by her 15-year-old stepsister > during a party at a crime-ridden apartment building in the state's capital, > police said. > > ~(no)rave! > > --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com , Keith Johnson <KeithBJohnson@> wrote: > > > > Wow, how sad that this is a good statistic, but how great it is to read it. > > I know the so-called "War on Drugs" has rightfully been attacked as a > > mistaken label and direction, but in cases where known drug dealing is > > directly related to murder, something has to be done. I've been impressed > > with Mayor Booker. he seems like the real deal. I'm sure those of you who > > live up that way will disabuse me of that notion if it's incorrect! > > > > ***************************************************** > > http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/04/newark_officials_police_credit.html > > > > Newark officials credit first homicide-free month in 44 years to > > 'large-scale' drug sweeps > > By Star-Ledger Staff > > April 02, 2010, 8:00AM > > > > > > newark.JPGAristide Economopoulos/The Star-Ledger An aerial photo of the > > city of Newark. NEWARK -- When the clock struck midnight on April 1, Newark > > reached a milestone: its first homicide-free calendar month in 44 years. > > While police and city officials say that’s a solid benchmark, they say > > there’s more work to do. > > > > "I just think its amazing. Four consecutive weeks without a murder, " > > Police Director Garry McCarthy said. "The program strategies and policies > > are working and we’re going to stick with them, but the goal is zero > > (homicides). > > > > "It’s going to take us a while to get to zero, but right now these are > > big changes," he said. > > > > McCarthy credited large-scale sweeps at some of the city’s most notorious > > drug strongholds â€" in one case nearly 150 arrests during a six-month > > operation â€" as well as increased police presence on city streets at night > > with helping keep the city without a homicide from Feb. 28 through tonight. > > City officials also said community safety caravans as well as the > > installation of the ShotSpotters gunshot detection system and surveillance > > cameras in high-crime neighborhoods has helped. > > > > > > The last time a calendar month passed without a homicide in the state’s > > largest city was May 1966. McCarthy said his goal is to keep the streak > > going as long as possible. In 2008, the city went 43 days in March and > > April without a homicide, the longest span since 1961. > > > > "The reason this is happening is because of the takedown at (Garden) Spires > > , the reason why it’s happening is because of the takedown at Stephen > > Crane, Pennington Court," McCarthy said, referring to several housing > > projects known as havens for drug dealers. "Step by step, there’s a > > systematic clean-up of all these traditional locations ...We’re attacking > > and holding on to those locations." > > > > There have been 10 homicides in Newark during the first three months of the > > year, matching the total for the same period a year ago. That’s the > > second-lowest first-quarter total since 1941, police said. > > > > Since taking over the Newark Police Department in 2006, McCarthy’s > > approach to reducing the city’s homicide rate has been simple â€" fewer > > shootings will result in fewer deaths. That strategy appears to have held > > true in March, with only eight reported shootings. In March 2009, there > > were 11 shootings, resulting in three homicides, according to police > > records. > > > > McCarthy said the arrest of 149 suspected drug dealers at the Garden Spires > > apartments during a six-month undercover operation may have helped stifle > > the homicide rate by preventing narcotics disputes that often turn deadly. > > > > "That group of drug dealers was responsible for an inordinate amount of > > violence," he said. "This drug gang was involved in violent acts in a lot > > of other places too, not just Garden Spires." > > > > Overall, Newark’s crime rate has dropped 13 percent compared to the > > first-quarter of 2009, with shootings, aggravated assaults, robberies and > > carjackings all lower than a year ago, police said. > > > > "We have made major strides in reducing crime in Newark and providing our > > residents with a safer, stronger, and prouder community," Mayor Cory Booker > > said today. "This has been the result of new alliances, 21st-century > > technology, innovative approaches to protecting our city, groundbreaking > > efforts to prevent recidivism, the support of our residents, and the > > courage and valor manifested by Newark’s police officers." > > >
