In an editorial, Hoboken resident Joshua Sotomayor-Einstein explains why he believes the city needs to implement a Neighborhood Watch program in light of violent crime.
The rise in violence and crime, coupled with the lack of safety residents have observed and been victim of is unacceptable.
From violent assaults to the inability for elderly and those with small children to walk down Washington St without dodging e-bicycles, theft in small liquor stores to porch package piracy, and carjackings to smash and grabs, there are growing dangers in Hoboken.
People are not “embracing feelings over facts” nor “pearl clutching about how unsafe a vocal few consider those parks to be,” as one out of touch academic deplorably stated them in a recent op-ed.
There is a reason ShopRite has armed guards, some small stores have hired security, many others have beefed up their security systems, and many more people in town are now carrying pepper spray.
Hoboken needs a Neighborhood Watch. This is not a call for vigilantism, it is a call for vigilance.
At the community meeting at city hall on November 18th over the rise in crime and recent violent attacks, I asked if our city had explored having unarmed volunteer auxiliary police – the same program they have in NYC.
As if a common municipal run program of community volunteers under the guidance, instruction, and training of the full time police could be, I was responded to with, “we don’t want to encourage vigilantism.”
Enough is enough. At the community meeting residents voiced concern and city officials voiced excuses. No blame should be given to our police chief, who does not have the latitude to tell the full truth.
Rather our elected officials who blame the unhoused as if all homeless are criminals and all criminals are homeless (neither is true), the high cost of living (a fact of life in NJ for decades), an alleged deficit of social workers (as if they stop porch pirates, people smoking blunts near children, or violent assaults), and mental health issues, are responsible for their failure to direct our police to enforce the laws.
It is time we in Hoboken stop waiting for city hall to react to actual issues. It is time we stopped abdicating responsibility for our town to those who win popularity contests by barely ever taking concrete stands on issues.
It is time we say no to their scapegoating, passing the buck, and kicking the can down the road.
We cannot have auxiliary police without the city council’s say so. We do have the constitutionally recognized right of voluntary free association and assembly, and to that end we can form a Hoboken Neighborhood Watch.
We can be the eyes and ears to assist the police, help our elderly neighbors get from point a to point b without fear of being run over by one of the many out of control e-bikes, we can post extra adults visibly identifiable by the playgrounds and parks to serve parents as an extra set of eyes while they play with their children, we can teach basic self-defense.
We can because we are Hoboken.
Why such an hysterical snowflake, Josh? LOL, Hoboken is incredibly safe. Does stuff occasionally happen? Yes, but we live in an urban environment, what do you expect? Maybe Hoboken isn’t for you, go pedal your paranoid nonsense somewhere else. A nice gated community, perhaps.
Shots fired agin in the HHA again crime on the rise quality of life lowered…but hey it’s an urban environment what matters is we stick to the Democratic Party ultra progressive agenda.
“…we stick to the Democratic Party ultra progressive agenda”
??? What are you even talking about, makes no sense. Also, I voted for Trump, my man!
Crime IS NOT on the rise. And like I said, stuff happens in an urban environment. But it’s indisputable that Hoboken is extremely safe compared to other nearby cities. You know it.
If people do not feel safe then there is a problem.
Hoboken is safer than say parts of Jersey City, Newark or Paterson but that is just a lame attempt at deflecting from the real issue
The Bhalla administration and his layers of expensive media info managers are usually a day late and dollar short in getting crime incidents to the public.
Josh you don’t feel safe surrounded by all those dogs you walk?
Bhalla and all of his allies need to go! Emily and Joe icluded.
Emily is nothing more than Ravi with Cinnamon Buns for mommies
A neighborhood watch is a good idea as long as members of the community are willing to volunteer. In some neighborhoods they’re known as auxiliary police- they get training, wear uniforms, have radios, carry batons but not guns. More eyes on the street. The losers who comment here are not actually interested in solving problems but scoring political points. Good idea, need interested parties to implement.