Twelve N.J. agencies join forces in effort to deal with crime spike
Published: Wednesday, December 08, 2010, 9:45 PM Updated: Thursday, December 09, 2010, 6:40 AM
Enlarge Newark Police officer Richard Velez, right, says goodbye to Officer Marion Soloman as he leaves the 5th Precinct after turning in his gun. Velez is part of the large group of officers affected by layoffs voted on by the city to cut costs. NEWARK , NJ 11/30/10 (JENNIFER BROWN /The Star-Ledger) Newark police officers are laid off gallery (4 photos) 
NEWARK — In the wake of what he described as a recent surge in violent crime in Newark, Orange, East Orange and Irvington, acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert Laurino has called in the cavalry.
Laurino said today his office joined forces this week with 11 other agencies, including the State Police and New Jersey National Guard, in an effort to halt the spike, which comes on the heels of large-scale police layoffs in Newark and with cutbacks looming in Orange.
"With the layoff of officers in Newark and Orange, it is important we work together, particularly with border municipalities," Laurino said.
Newark laid off 167 officers — the largest reduction in its force in 32 years — on Nov. 30, and barring any last-minute concessions, the Orange Police Department will lay off several officers in January.
In the past week, there have been five homicides, 11 shootings and six carjackings throughout Essex County, most of them in Newark, said Katherine Carter, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s office. In the 10 days since the Newark layoffs, six people were shot during one bloody night on Dec. 4 and three people were killed in a 13-hour period on Dec. 6 and 7.
Laurino said his initiative revolves around intelligence sharing and joint investigations between the prosecutors’ offices in Essex, Bergen and Union counties, the State Police, the state Attorney General’s office, the New Jersey National Guard, Essex County Sheriff’s Department and the Newark, Irvington, East Orange and Orange police departments.
Representatives from each agency met with Laurino on Monday.
"Given the changing landscape in terms of resources, we believe these cooperative policing efforts will assist local police departments and the prosecutor’s office in investigating, solving and prosecuting crime in this region," he said.
Though it’s "too early to tell" if the Newark layoffs are directly related to the surge in violence, Laurino said he wants to take a "pro-active" approach to fighting crime.
Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura echoed that sentiment.
"Just in case the layoffs have some kind of an impact, we want to address it and make sure the criminals know our army is still bigger than yours," Fontoura said today. "The layoffs obviously have an impact. I was around in 1978 (when 200 Newark officers were laid off) and it had a tremendous impact. We need to let the citizens know we’re here to work with you and keep you safe."
Homicides and shootings in Essex County are normally investigated by detectives from the local police department as well as the Prosecutor’s Office. Under Laurino’s initiative, detectives from several agencies will now be assigned to each case.
Laurino said he has also assigned two prosecutor’s detectives to the State Police’s Regional Operations and Intelligence Center in West Trenton to analyze data on violent crime that occurs throughout the county.
In addition, State Police and New Jersey National Guard helicopters will provide surveillance of vehicles involved in violent crimes and carjackings, and troopers will help patrol the borders between Newark, Irvington, East Orange and Orange, said Paul Loriquet, a spokesman for the state Attorney General.
Fontoura said that while his officers regularly patrol Newark, he may also establish checkpoints to help stymie a recent spike in carjackings.
Homicides and shootings normally spike in the final 13 weeks, according to national crime statistics. But with layoffs potentially upping the ante, Laurino said he wanted to stop, rather than react to a potential surge in crime.
"This is the time of the year when you do see a spike in crime, around the holiday season," he said. "We just had layoffs. There’s always fear we’re going to be tested."
Aliza Applebaum of the New Jersey Local News Service contributed to this report.
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