Fri Dec 12, 2008 at 04:33:59 PM EST
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| The public safety of its residents is the number one priority of any government - local, county, state, and federal. And increasing the number of police patrolling our streets is one of the best ways to reach that goal. Over the course of the past four years, we've hired more than 250 new officers to keep our residents safe. I am proud to say that, this morning, we are in swearing in a new class of nine new officers. These brave men and women will work hard each and every day to keep our community safe and peaceful. They are not only our first line of defense, but are also our best resources to deter crime and keep our families secure.
We're also focused on creating sound public policy to make our city safer. Illegal guns are a scourge on our streets, and we are taking strong measures to get them out of the hands of criminals. Our "One Hand Gun a Month" ordinance to restrict purchases was unanimously passed by the City Council. However, recently, this ordinance was struck down by the New Jersey Superior Court and is currently on appeal. Although we are disappointed that the Appellate Court did not agree with our position that Jersey City has the right to legislate in the interest of public safety, I promise to continue the fight to remove illegal handguns from our city streets.
Nonetheless, the State Legislature is currently considering legislation based on our local "one handgun" ordinance. In fact, earlier this week, down in Trenton, the State Senate's Law, Public Safety, and Veterans Affairs Committee considered bill S-1774 - which is modeled on our initiative. The bill has already passed the Assembly, and I'm heartened that what we are doing in Jersey City is being looked at as a statewide blueprint. Now that the committee has reported it favorably to the full State Senate, I am confident that with the leadership of the bill's Jersey City's sponsors - State Senator Sandra Cunningham and Assemblywoman Joan Quigley - the legislation will soon become state law. Still, I hope you will consider reaching out to your State Senator to let them know of support for this legislation. |
| Jerramiah Healy :: Keeping Jersey City Safe |
| Multiple purchasing of handguns is the primary method that puts illegal firearms into the hands of criminals. In fact, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) has labeled the bulk purchases of handguns inherently suspicious. That's why we need laws that limit the bulk purchases and prevent straw purchasers from buying handguns that they later sell to criminals. Once this state legislation passes, it will mark the second time Trenton has taken our lead when it comes to gun legislation. The State of New Jersey has already enacted a law paralleling our Jersey City ordinance requiring gun owners to report a handgun lost or stolen within 48 hours.
Eliminating the plague of illegal guns is one of the most effective ways to reduce violent crime. And our own statistics show that when the Jersey City Police Department takes guns off the streets, the number of violent crimes drops. I'm proud to be one of the 15 founding members of the bi-partisan "Mayors Against Illegal Guns." Today, our group has grown to more than 250 mayors nationwide, who are all committed to ridding our cities of the blight of illegal guns. I am also proud to have launched Jersey City's "Operation Lifesaver" - a gun buyback and amnesty program - that took 897 guns off of Jersey City's streets. Our program has received national attention due to its tremendous success and today stands as a model for other cities.
Illegal guns are the tools of violent criminals. It is our mission - and the duty of all governments at every level - to take away these tools. But, it's not only about ridding guns from our streets. It's also important to bring quality of life issues to the forefront of public policy. One of the first things I did after becoming mayor was to re-institute the Jersey City Business Curfew Ordinance to eliminate crime from areas with all-night establishments.
We've also increased the number of closed-circuit television cameras in high-crime areas and business districts. I'm also proud that we created the city's first Anti-Gang Unit and our first Violent Crime Task Force. And we've put police officers back on foot and bike patrol so they're better ingrained into the community. Just as importantly, we're equipping our police department with new, cutting-edge technology to make sure our officers have the most-up-to-date tools at their disposal. For example, they now use CompStat - a computer statistics system which tracks incidents by generating electronic pin maps of potential crime locations. The Jersey City police department is now able to analyze this information and better develop rapid-response strategies. Moreover, our Community Relations Unit is assigned to improving the effectiveness of our Police Department by facilitating a cooperative effort between the police and the community they serve through various city-wide programs and services.
Nothing is more important than the safety of our residents. After eight years of dangerous policies coming out of the White House when it comes to our cities, I am so excited to finally have a partner in President-elect Barack Obama. President-elect Obama is is committed to making our streets safer and our cities greater. It's clear that sitting on our hands and simply complaining about guns won't solve the problem, nor will it get them off our streets. During the past few years, in the wake of neglect from D.C., we've worked to solve the federally nurtured plague of gun violence in our communities. And we have taken bold steps to make our cities safer. Now that the "One Handgun A Month" is moving along in Trenton, I urge you to contact your State Senator to express your support for this common-sense legislation. |
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