Mayors Look To Address Gang Concerns in State

Candace Braun

More than 200 mayors and elected officials from New Jersey gathered at the National Guard Armory in Lawrenceville last Wednesday to address what appears to be becoming a statewide problem: gangs and youth violence.

While Princeton has experienced its share of gang activity over the past year, a total of 16,700 New Jersey residents belong to gangs, said Peter Cantu, the mayor of Plainsboro Township and the president of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities (NJLM).

"They are a danger to our community, our schools, and especially our youth," he said.

"I hate gangs," said Rick Fuentes, superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, mentioning that he was a member of a gang unit for seven years. "Especially in the urban areas, it is a problem that tears at the quality of life of everyone every day."

The number one problem most communities have is acknowledging that a gang presence is a gang problem, said Mr. Fuentes: "If you have a gang member living in your town, you have a problem."

One out of every five homicides in the state is gang-related, and in 2004, more than 500 gang-related incidents occurred in New Jersey schools, he said.

"Never in my lifetime have I seen our youth so troubled," said Irvington Township mayor Wayne Smith during a panel discussion among eight of the state's mayors.

Robert Bowser, mayor of East Orange City, agreed: "You have to give them programs to address their needs."

Often youth are troubled because of the absence of a parental figure in their lives, and the lack of a place where they feel like they belong, said Mayor Bowser. He mentioned some of the actions he has taken in his own community to resolve the problem, such as expanding or starting up after-school programs that will draw in youth, and working out a system with local police where they drive students to jobs after school.

Trenton Mayor Douglas Palmer said that the city is finding ways to combat the gang problem, and currently has the second lowest crime rate in 40 years.

"You can't just lock up the gang problem," he said, mentioning SCOOP as one of the ways Trenton is helping its youth, by providing youth with free transportation to recreation centers around the city.

Sen. Ronald Rice spoke on Senate Bill 1110, which was recently signed into law by Acting Governor Richard Codey. Known as the Gangland Security Bill, its objective is to form a 26-member task force which will research, discuss, and implement new methods of combating gangs in New Jersey.

Possible areas of research will include determining the relationships between gangs and inmates, gangs and parole officers, gangs and terrorist activity, and gangs and organized crime.

Another task force was recently formed by NJLM, a Gang Prevention and Youth Violence Task Force, which was formed so that mayors throughout the state could share insights on gang prevention, and to help form and present legislative proposals before the State Legislature that would fight gang activity.

The first meeting of the task force will be held within the next few weeks, and will include participation by mayors from Irvington, Florence, Ewing, Burlington, Camden, Hamilton, Willingboro, and Princeton.

"We want to enhance the intelligence of law enforcement with the objective of taking these gangs down," said Sen. Rice.

Princeton Township Mayor Phyllis Marchand will be a member of the task force, and said she believes that "Princeton is way ahead of a lot of communities in addressing this problem." She added that Princeton's municipalities, schools, and police departments have come to terms with the gang problem and are addressing it.

Gangs have even been a presence during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, a problem that New Jersey has stepped in to help deal with, according to Mr. Fuentes.

While most residents of the Gulf Coast have left their homes and businesses to seek food and shelter elsewhere, it has been the gangs that have stayed behind to loot stores and steal from homes. Police believe there are approximately 15 gangs still lingering in New Orleans with stolen weapons.

In order to help combat this, New Jersey will be sending down officers to help with security within the next four to six weeks, said Mr. Fuentes.

"So many states helped New Jersey during 9-11, so New Jersey is trying to do the same for the victims of Hurricane Katrina," he said, adding that when the flooding first occurred it was difficult to hold back and wait to hear what type of assistance they needed.
Officers to assist with rescue and relief were deployed to New Orleans as early as September 3, he said.

"I just want you all to be proud of the work....your New Jersey law enforcement officers are doing down there," said Mr. Fuentes.