Murders up, violent crime down in Jersey City in 2014
Even though the number of murders rose from 20 to 23 in 2014, including the ambush death of a rookie police officer, violent crime, according a statement issued by Mayor Steven Fulop, went down
Fulop and Public Safety Director James Shea said last week that Jersey City has seen a major reduction in crime as 2014 comes to an end, with shootings down 17.5 percent citywide and a 40 percent arrest rate in non-fatal shootings.
“This year we saw major progress on shootings, homicides, as well as arrests, and although we had a slight increase in the absolute numbers of homicides, the reality is that the city had five domestic dispute homicides which the public knows no police officer can prevent, because these crimes happen between people living in the same household,” said Mayor Fulop. “In the areas where law enforcement can make an impact, we have seen considerable progress and are continuing to work to bring the numbers down even further.”
While homicides saw a slight uptick, the increase is due in large part to an increase in domestic homicides from two in 2013 to five in 2014, as well as a case of arson. The number of shootings decreased from 91 in 2013 to 75 in 2014, as reported by the State Police’s Regional Operational and Intelligence Center (ROIC).
Crime in Jersey City was down in all of the major categories in 2014 compared to 2013. Aggravated assaults fell 34 percent, from 537 to 354; robberies fell 12 percent, from 652 to 573; armed robberies fell 23 percent, from 259 to 197; burglaries fell six percent, from 1,133 to 1,056; sexual assaults fell 18 percent, from 55 to 45; auto theft fell 23 percent, from 567 to 432; and larceny fell five percent, from 2,674 to 2,545.
Young woman struck in head with gun in alleged robbery attempt
A man who allegedly attempted to rob a Dales Avenue apartment struck a 19-year-old woman in the head with a gun around 9:28 p.m. on Dec. 29.
About 10 people lived in the apartment, including four special needs kids.
The police said a tall black man wearing a beige ski mask and a black jacket allegedly forced his way into the apartment brandishing a black revolver.
Unable to assess if the attacker was still in the apartment at the time of their arrival, police told the victim to stay in the bathroom, while they conducted a search. Units were set up outside the building in case people needed to be evacuated to avoid a hostage situation.
The woman later told police that she initially saw the man on the third floor of the building. He pushed his way in demanding that she take him to “where the money is at.”
When she asked “What money?” he allegedly dragged her into another room, and struck her 19-year-old daughter in the head with the gun. The woman fled with three of the younger children and locked herself in the bathroom fearing for her life, she told police.
The police report said one of other the children called 911.
The 19-year old was taken to Jersey City Medical Center for evaluation. According to the police report, the mother said she would be unable to identify the attacker.
The police said the apartment was in deplorable condition with a foul smell, and included children ages from 4 months to 15 years old. The police contacted the Division of Youth Family Services.
Garcia speaks out against cuts to PATH service
Assembly Transportation Committee member Carmelo Garcia says he is opposed to the Port Authority proposal to cut overnight PATH train service.
“A plan being considered by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to possibly eliminate overnight PATH train service is a bad idea that could have a devastating impact on thousands of commuters,” Garcia said in a statement. “Many of the 244,000 riders who use the PATH every week are hardworking residents from my district in Hudson County. Cutting this rail service would cut their livelihood because many of these working class citizens with limited resources would have no affordable alternative to get to and from work in the middle of the night. White collar workers, revelers, and tourists would also be left scrambling trying to find a way back across the Hudson River.”
Reducing PATH service could also impact the state and local economy, Garcia said. Transit hubs like Hoboken, where more than 50 percent of residents rely on public transportation, owe much of their growth to rail service like the PATH. The 24/7 public transit access to New York City sets these communities apart from the rest. And the state has made an investment in promoting transit hubs to help ease congestion and negative impacts to the environment.
“As the sole member of the Assembly Transportation Committee whose district is home to multiple PATH stations in several municipalities, I know firsthand how vital this service is to our residents,” he said. “Over the past several months I have been working with a variety of neighborhood groups and constituents to try to expand our transportation options. I concur with the Mayors of Jersey City and Hoboken who believe that cutting service would be counterproductive. While some say it’s merely a recommendation, it’s definitely an off track one that will hurt riders in both Hudson and Essex counties. So let’s get on the right track and work together to increase public transit, not decrease it.”