Dear Editor:
Although the most recent NJ State Police statistics show that our beloved Town of West New York had a 16 percent decrease in crime last year, it is very comforting to know that WNY Mayor Sal Vega and Public Safety Commissioner Larry Riccardi are not sitting on their laurels. Instead, they, with other WNY officials, have started a “Keep West New York Safe 2011” initiative, which includes the hiring of more police officers, creating Neighborhood Watch groups, expanding the Community Tip Telephone Line and the drug awareness program D.A.R.E., and instituting a new peer-to-peer school program.
This is a great and very important public safety campaign by our town leaders because it includes the whole community – the Town Commissioners and their Departments, the Board of Education, the Housing Authority, and WNY residents, all working together to keep West New York the safe place to live and shop that it is. I wish our West New York leaders well and hope they succeed in continuing the reduction in our town’s crime. But, although this program is certainly a very good step in the right direction, they cannot do it alone and I encourage every WNY resident to support and participate in the “Keep West New York Safe 2011” program.
Eduardo Migoya
West New York