JERSEY CITY — Mayor Steven M. Fulop, Public Safety Director James Shea, and Police Chief Philip Zacche said this week that the 32 new officers sworn in last month have begun their assignments and are all assigned to walking posts in the South and West Districts, interacting with residents and business owners to enhance public safety and strengthen community relations.
The West and South districts are considered the toughest beats in the city. Over the last 45 days, at least four people were murdered in a slate of shootings, many in those part of the city.
Both districts have received 16 officers, who first completed in-department training prior to deployment. The officers are working in teams with veteran officers, and beginning today are patrolling locations along Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Monticello Avenue, Bergen Avenue, Rutgers Avenue and Ocean Avenue, as well as other strategic locations.
“We are hiring more police officers to grow the department, but we are also strategically assigning them to walking posts to increase the police presence in the community and to strengthen relationships with residents and business owners,” said Mayor Fulop. “Having more officers on the street not only reduces crime, but allows our officers to understand the issues facing residents through face-to-face contact and offers our residents a familiarity with police personnel. This is vital to developing information that can further reduce crime.”
“Officers who know the community they serve are not only invested, but are intimately aware of the issues and are able to be proactive to deter issues before they arise,” added Fulop.
The officers’ first day was patrolling at the Jersey City Fourth of July event, which drew more than 70,000 people to Liberty State Park.
“Having our new officers on foot patrol gives them direct contact with the community and is one of the best ways for them to learn the neighborhoods where they will be working,” said Public Safety Director James Shea. “By working with veteran officers they are gaining valuable departmental knowledge while at the same time developing key community relationships and important local awareness.”