Residents of the Hoboken Housing Authority woke up a little safer Thursday morning because representatives from the police department, city, and Hoboken Housing Authority (HHA) were on hand to cut a ribbon signifying the opening of a new police precinct on the Housing Authority’s property.
The new precinct is located in a Housing Authority building near the corner of Third and Harrison streets.
For residents, the now-functioning "mini-precinct" will be the home base for eight Hoboken police officers who will serve the city’s affordable housing units, according to Hoboken Police Chief Carmen LaBruno. According to the chief, the total cost for the new precinct will run around $600,000 a year.
The Hoboken Housing Authority oversees the city’s approximately 1,300 federally subsidized units of low-income housing, primarily located in the southwest part of the city. The HHA answers to the federal department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and is not city-run, but the City Council and mayor appoint some of the commissioners.
Funding for the officers
Funding for the eight new officers comes from three different sources, according to LaBruno. The first is a $150,000 annual contribution from the Hoboken Housing Authority. According to E. Troy Washington, the executive director of the Housing Authority, HUD gives the HHA an annual budget for site security. The HHA’s board of commissioners can either choose to hire a private security firm or use the money for supplemental local police protection.
Originally, the HHA board voted to use most of the money, approximately $1 million, on a private firm called Internal Security.
But after months of negotiations, debates and wrangling with the city, HHA Board of Commissioners, the Hoboken Police Department and the city have agreed that the HHA will spend $150,000 for two officers, who will supplement a private firm that will continue to remain on-site. Both will continue to patrol the grounds in a joint effort.
Also, the HHA will be donating the space in a building a 311 Harrison St. for the precinct so the city will not have to pay rent. The only improvements made to the space were some carpeting, telephones and a fresh layer of paint. The precinct will not have a holding cell, so when arrests are made, a radio patrol call will be made to transport the suspect.
The second funding source is the Hoboken Police Department, which is funded by the city. The HPD will pick up the cost for two more officers for $150,000. The HPD will also supply computers for the new precinct.
The third source of funding is the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Service (COPS) program. Under the COPS program, the grants will pay for 75 percent of the new officers’ salaries for three years. After the three years are up, the city will have to absorb the salary of those officers. The COPS grants will pay for four officers at the satellite precinct.
The total cost for all eight cops is around $600,000 a year, said LaBruno.
A needed supplement
According to Washington, even though the Housing Authority already has a private security firm, the Hoboken police officers are definitely a welcome supplement. He said that no private security firm is able to deal with higher-level criminal activity such as gang activity, and that they do not have the training and authority of law enforcement personnel.
"I’m glad we made it to this point," said Washington. "A police presence is seriously needed, and we are very thankful that they are here."
Last summer and fall, Washington acknowledged publicly that there was an increase in the amount of open-air drug dealing and gang activity at the Housing Authority. At that time, according to Washington, the executive director contacted the state and county task forces on gang activity, and those organizations undertook a sizable undercover operation that has in recent months kept down gang and violent activity in the area.
"Right now the gang activity is minimal," said Washington Thursday. But he added that once the weather starts warming up and summer approaches, a visible police presence will be necessary to maintain a low level of gang, drug and violent activity.
Fourth Ward Councilman Christopher Campos said Wednesday that having a police presence is the best way to provide for the safety of residents. Most of the HHA housing units are located in Campos’ ward.
"This is a long-term solution," said Campos. "Safety and security are complex issues, but having a visible police presence serves as the strongest possible deterrent."
Fences mended, results achieved
This new precinct was not born overnight, and was not established without turmoil. It was the culmination of over a year of often tense, sometimes adversarial, negotiations between the mayor’s office, the City Council, LaBruno and Washington.
As recently as November of 2002, Washington criticized the HPD and Roberts for giving the HHA "separate and unequal protection." That was during the period of a reported flare up in gang activity in the HHA. "We should be getting the same amount of protection that residents that live on Hudson Street and Washington Street get, and right now, that’s not happening," Washington said in November.
But Thursday, there was a visible conciliatory appearance and cooperative air, and all sides involved seem to have worked out most of the aspects of their previous disagreements.
"This [new precinct] is the culmination of a lot of hard work," said Mayor David Roberts Thursday morning. Roberts added that in the past several months, his rapport with E. Troy Washington has improved immensely.
"Since becoming mayor we’ve had an interesting relationship, to say the least," said Roberts of Washington. During July of last year, Roberts supported an attempt to oust Washington, but this was not successful.
"Several months ago, we turned a corner, shook hands and said ‘let’s work together,’" he said. "Since that day, we have had an open line of communication together and we have been committed to a safe environment for the residents [of the HHA]."
Washington said Tuesday that only through a cooperative effort between the city, police department and the Housing Authority was this new precinct possible.
"We are now working together as a full team," said Washington. "Only with their cooperation are we able to achieve our goal of having less crime [in the HHA], and in the end, that’s the bottom line."
Campos, who in the past has had harsh words for Washington, said Thursday that their previously strained relationship has been patched up.
"This result only came about through the culmination of a great deal of hard work on many different levels," he said.
Even LaBruno, who has in the past gone head to head with Campos, Washington, and City Council President and HHA Commissioner Ruben Ramos Jr., had words of praise and thanks for the three Thursday. "We are committed to working along with Chris Campos, Ruben Ramos, and the City Council to improve the life of the residents of the 4th Ward and that will come with dedication and many dedicated officers." said the chief.
HHA Chairman Angel Alicea said, "I’m pleased that the process has made it this far. This was only made possible through the teamwork of a lot of different people."
Community relations
Another benefit of putting a precinct directly in the HHA, according to Campos, is returning to community policing and foot patrols. Instead of having police in cars, where they appear unapproachable, cops will be walking the beat and will have personal interaction with the area children.
"Our police need to serve as role models," said Campos. "They should be able to feel comfortable approaching and feel comfortable having a conversation with these neighborhood cops."