Solomon’s Jersey City public vision safety has 100 more cops, anti-violence efforts

Jersey City Ward E Councilman James Solomon, a candidate for mayor, has unveiled his vision for public safety, which includes hiring 100 more police officers and embracing more anti-violence efforts.

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

“To keep our city safe, the community has to trust the people sworn to protect it and we must increase morale in the public safety department,” Solomon said in a statement.

“That starts with putting officers back in our neighborhoods, ensuring fire apparatuses are fully staffed, and making investments in the city’s grassroots non violence organizations to address the root causes of violent crime. As Mayor, I’ll make sure we have more officers walking the beat, the nation’s best mental health crisis intervention response system, and a renewed commitment to both justice and safety. Jersey City deserves nothing less.”

Solomon is calling for more officers walking the beat, which will be made possible in part by hiring 100 new officers, bringing back an annual awards ceremony, promotions strictly based on merit, and bring back a well-staffed traffic enforcement unit.

He also seeks to eliminate mandatory fixed posts, calling on the state legislature to approve a bill to authorize a Civilian Complaint Review Board with “investigatory and disciplinary authority,”

Improve both community relations and officer response times by eliminating mandatory fixed posts, returning flexibility and resources to commanders in the field.

Ensure accountability for both residents and officers by calling on the State Legislature to pass legislation authorizing a Civilian Complaint Review Board with investigatory and disciplinary authority, subject to appropriate safeguards.

Furthermore, the downtown councilman wants to connect the city’s 911 system to a mental health response system.

As for the fire department, Solomon commits to never merging the Jersey City Fire Department with another department, eliminating the public safety director position, halting firehouse closures, and strengthening enforcement for fire hazard prevention.

Finally, Solomon wants to increase funding for evidence-based violence prevention programs in Jersey City, support those groups with office space, non-profit technical assistance, City support for community events, and access to crime data.

He also aims to implement evidence-based public health responses to violent crime, like CURE Violence, and increase the availability of youth development initiatives like summer jobs and after school programs.

He also calls for a citywide Neighborhood Watch program to train residents in crime prevention and strengthen communications channels between residents and the Jersey City PD.

The non-partisan November 4th mayoral race also features former Gov. Jim McGreevey, Hudson County Commissioner Bill O’Dea (D-2), Council President Joyce Watterman, and ex-Board of Education President Mussab Ali.