Since 2021, shooting incidents are down 27 percent in Jersey City thanks to the Violent Crime Initiative with the state and feds, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced today.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Keeping New Jersey safe and reducing violent crime are core to this Office’s mission, and I have no higher priority as U.S. Attorney. The scourge of senseless gun violence plagues too many of our communities, particularly in our urban centers. We are committed to protecting the public from violent criminal organizations, and we will relentlessly hold those who harm and threaten the public accountable,” U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said in a statement.
“ … Our VCI model targets the dangerous offenders and criminal organizations throughout New Jersey who threaten the public and perpetrate violence within our most vulnerable communities.”
The VCI is a collaborative, multi-agency program designed to combine the resources of New Jersey’s federal, state, and local law enforcement to identify, target, and prosecute violent offenders and criminal organizations throughout New Jersey.
Offshoots of this program exist in Jersey City, Newark, and Paterson, with data released today from Sellinger indicating that shootings in Jersey City are down 27 percent from last year.
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop touted his administration’s commitment to public safety, as well as that this statistic “is proof that these strategic efforts are working to bring criminals to justice and improve public safety for all of our residents.”
“I am thankful for our partners on the municipal, county, and state levels for their willingness to align efforts to more efficiently and successfully target and prosecute some of the most violent criminal organizations terrorizing our local municipalities who oftentimes cross municipal borders to avoid getting caught.”
He further stated that this shows their VCI is making a difference in catching criminals and deterring crimes.
