Jersey City officials and community leaders lauded the fact that no homicides occurred in the city this past summer, a feat that is a relatively rare occurrence.
By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View
“This year, we were able to achieve zero homicides during the summer of peace for 2024,” began Ward F Council Frank “Educational” Gilmore, who organized the press conference, to applause..
He said a collaboration between the municipal government and community organizations, as well as “a peace treaty” among local gangs, helped achieve this result.
“We continued to work behind closed doors. It’s hard. The corridor of MLK [Martin Luther King Drive] and Ocean [Avenue] is responsible for 70 percent of the homicides in Hudson County,” he exclaimed.
“I know most of these kids: It’s extremely hurtful for me to witness a young man in the gym lose his life.”
Mayor Steven Fulop, also a Democratic candidate for governor, called gun violence “a public health issue” and praised the Anti-Violence Coalition of Hudson County for receiving a $2 million state grant to address mental health crises.
“This year to date, there’s been … four homicides in the entire city, which is a crazy thing when you think about it and the size of the city. We want to get that number down to zero. Every single homicide is a true tragedy,” he added.
“Violence is a community issue,” Hudson Partnership Care Management Organization (CMO) Community Resource Director Christopher Jefferson said.
He continued that addressing poverty and providing resources via charity helps. Jefferson praised community partners and the city.
Gilmore also praised Hudson County Commissioner Jerry Walker’s “Credible Messengers” youth program.
“We did work hard on the county level to secure the funding for credible messengers. But it’s the people who do the work everyday. We just gotta provide our young people with more opportunities,” Walker stated.
He further stated providing more gym time and ensuring more basketball games has been effective in stopping violence.
“A lot of the stuff that goes on in the street is generational curses. We gotta break generational curses,” he declared.
Additionally, Gilmore credited the Jersey City Police Department with recovering 20 hand guns last month, which he believes prevented fatalities.
“We are proud to be able to stand here and partner … with everyone out here,” John Bowman, of Black Law Enforcement Servicing the Community, (BLESC) said.
“We had a summer in Jersey City with zero homicides. That is evidence of the work we are tirelessly doing …The only way we can bear fruit is to plant the right seeds If the roots are weak, the tree won’t grow. The south side, Ward F, is not a lost ward.”
Gilmore said Celeste Williams turned her pain to passion by working on her organization, Caring and Capable Hands,
“That is a huge step towards making sure the memory of your son lasts,” he declared.
“It’s trauma filled. We have generational traumas. We have community traumas. But traumas can be turned into peace. It’s how we respond. Every initiative we do … is to get them out of a place of trauma and get them to a place of peace,” expressed Williams.
She agreed with Walker that basketball is key with helping youth develop good habits.
Furthermore, Gilmore noted that Anti-Violence Coalition of Hudson County Executive Director Pamela Johnson, also a Ward A council candidate, said she suggested occupying corners and providing games for young people, which was both bold and effective.
“This conversation was different 10, 15 years ago … We’re going to the hot spots. We’re going where homicides happens there’s a lot of work to do but a lot of work has been done,” Johnson explained.
Dwayne Baskerville, of Go Get My Kids Inc., said that the homicide rate used to be a very prominent problem, with many deaths covered in the media. He said his protege worked to organize events and encourage peace.
“If you give them something positive … they will come through,” Baskerville argued.
Baskerville noted need to work with NJCU and other colleges to focus on providing higher education to troubled youth to create alternatives to a life of crime.
“It takes a village. People who have lived on the other side … are pouring back into the kids,” asserted Assemblyman Will Sampson (D-31).
He said it’s important to have role models who look like them and praised Gilmore and Lincoln High School Principal Chris Gadsden, a former Ward B councilman.
“I am the only Black man that represents Hudson County at this time. It’s important for the kids to know what we do,” Sampson added.
4 homicides in Jersey City so far this year, a city of 300,000 people, is really amazing. I’m pleasantly surprised. It must be noted, though, that the JCMC is responsible for saving many gunshot victims.
Such a low bar.