Camden County Police Department Marks Two Years of Operation

Camden County Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli, Camden Mayor Dana Redd, Congressman Donald Norcross, Chief Scott Thomson and Senate President Steve Sweeney marked the two-year anniversary of the Camden County Police Department this week.

Crime is down across Camden since the department’s inception in 2013, officials said.

Violent crime is down 28 percent from 2011 compared to 2014. In addition this year violent crime has dropped another 18 percent from same time period in 2014. Year to date nonfatal shootings and shootings by homicide are both down almost 50 percent to 2014.

Cappelli praised the determination and commitment of the 395 police officers who are assigned to the streets and sidewalks of Camden. He also cited 2,271 less total crime victims than in 2011, 1,629 less than in 2012 and 815 in 2013, compared to the first full year of operation in 2014.

“The men and women of this department have made a measurable statistical impact in the community,” Cappelli said. “The residents I meet walking down the street or at our community engagement events are pleased with the work being done in their neighborhoods.”

“Since the creation of the Camden County Police Department two years ago, Camden has realized a complete transformation with regards to public safety,” Redd said. “It has truly been astounding to see and has led to a much improved quality of life for our residents. In areas like North Camden, drug addicts no longer walk the streets, residents can come out of their homes and kids can play in the parks. Every day the men and women in blue are out there patrolling the streets making Camden a safer place.”

The Camden County Police Department has focused on community engagement, human contact and dialogue that have led to a significant reduction in nonviolent crime from burglaries to theft, officials said.

In addition, over the last 10 years the average rate of homicides is 48 per year in the city. In its first full year of operation the Camden County Police Department reduced that number to 33.

“By treating people with dignity and building trusting relationships with the community, we have begun a remarkable transformation that has returned the streets to a place where children can safely play, while others enjoy their own front steps,” Thomson said. “Our progress is as attributable to the resiliency of our people as much as the officers who have embraced our culture of being ethical protectors.”