JERSEY CITY

In 2012, there were 13 homicides in Jersey City, which is five fewer than 2011 representing a 28 percent drop. The 13 homicides is the lowest total number of homicides in Jersey City since 1969, as confirmed by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and New Jersey State Police who are responsible for all police statistics to form the Uniform Crime Report, an annual analysis of crime trends across the country.

In 1969, there were 33 homicides in Jersey City, a time when Richard M. Nixon was president of the United States, American troops were fighting the Vietnam War and American Astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first man to land on the Moon. The peak in homicides was in 1979, when there were 49 homicides in one year.

“We are obviously pleased when we see decreases in any crime category, but especially in the category of homicides where lives are lost needlessly,” said Mayor Healy. “However, each and every single homicide is one homicide too many in our city, and I know the brave men and women of our police department will continue to work diligently to keep the trend in a declining pattern.”

Last yearâ€s sharp decrease was paralleled by a significant effort to reduce street violence, which police officials attribute to their pro-active police measures that included major sting operations that targeted wanted felons, open air drug markets and repeat offenders linked to the illegal drug trade. Partnering with law enforcement agencies from the county, state and federal level has also contributed greatly to the decrease in homicides. An example of this collaboration is Operation Summer

These efforts were supplemented by a series of gun buyback initiatives in 2005, 2011 and 2012 that led to a total of 1,297 weapons collectively being removed from city streets.

“As the criminal element has become more and more creative, letâ€s say, in their efforts to sell illegal drugs and use handguns to protect their trade, weâ€ve had to do things differently to offset their success, to which we believe has had a direct impact on the number of homicides in our community,” said Police Chief Comey.

The post Jersey City Homicide Rate Drops 28% to Record 43-year Low first appeared on River View Observer.

Jersey City Mayor Jerrimiah Healy(L) holds a “Street Sweeper”  automatic gun with a 30 round clip and Jersey City Police Chief Thomas J. Comey (R) holds a “Pump Action Shotgun” which can kill as many as the street sweeper within three rounds being fired.

Photo’s by Steveamack.com

Jerramiah T. Healy and police officials displayed 65 firearms taken into custody today, including a dangerous machine gun pistol called a “Street Sweeper”, all of which were gathered during Day 1 of the cityâ€s gun buyback program.

“I have to commend the citizens who turned in these weapons because at any turn they could end up for whatever reason in the hands of a lawbreaker or being used in the heat of the moment during a dispute,” said Mayor Healy, who launched LifeSaver I early into his administration in 2005 where police recovered more than 900 guns.

“Like many good things, there will always be critics who don’t support this initiative, but would they rather have these weapons being collected by cops or in the hands of someone who has nothing but bad intentions for them?”

The cache of weapons collected was paid for absence of tax payer dollars and solely on the donations of local residents, businesses and a grant from the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office.

“If you look at the capability of the ammunition of one of the weapons we recovered you have to say it is a success,” said JCPD Chief Tom Comey. “The damage that could be caused by that one Mac 10 – the devastation could be immeasurable to the community. And the ammunition, hollow points are designed to cause extreme soft tissue damage once it enters your body. We are pleased by the turnout because these things are no longer available to the criminal element of our society.”

Gun Buyback II continues on July 23 from 12 noon to 4 pm. To turn in your weapons during the suggested time report to the locations: St. Joseph’s Church, 511 Pavonia Avenue; Monumental Baptist Church 121 Lafayette Street; and Heavenly Temple Church, 15 MLK Drive in Jersey City.

 

The post Machine Gun Pistol, Hollow Points Highlight Haul of Weapons in Jersey City first appeared on River View Observer.