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GLENN D. CUNNINGHAM MAYOR CITY HALL JERSEY CITY, NJ 07302 TEL:(201) 547-5200 FAX:(201) 547-4288

In the United States, We hold that it is the right of every citizen to be free of criminal attack. It is the mission of our Police Department to protect our citizens and to make Jersey City a safer place for our children to grow up, a safer place for them to go to school and to make Jersey City a safer place to work and live. However, that mission has become more difficult in today's world where our police have to be prepared to deal with crime, and now terrorism.

I am proud to say that our police department is meeting this challenge. Every day they put their lives on the line. Lt. Charlie Winterhalter and Detective Frank Caraballo stopped an armed robbery on Pacific Avenue and will soon be honored with the Combat Cross.

When I took office the Police Department initiated a. Sustained Anti-Drug Initiative. To date this initiative has resulted in over 6,000 arrests, seized over $1 million in illegal drug proceeds, and recovered 64 illegal handguns, 2 illegal machine guns and 3 illegal shotguns. Because our police are more pro-active, we have seen a reduction in quality of life calls.

We must look beyond our boarders in our mission to keep Jersey City's streets safe. As a U.S. Marshal, I learned that you must forge partnerships with law enforcement agencies in all jurisdictions for common goals. In Jersey City we are developing those partnerships.

Our Police Department has joined with the U.S. Marshals Service to hunt down fugitives. And, later this year, the ATF, the lead federal agency in the fight against gun violence, will open a district office in Jersey City.

To fight the War on Terror, our police department has joined forces with the Police Institute at Rutgers University to share up-to-date terrorist-related information and policing strategies.

We also recognize that the perception of crime can be as detrimental to the quality of life as actual crime. That is why our police department has been fighting crime holistically. Some of our police officers have volunteered to be mentors to young people.

And sometimes are dedicated public servants wear different uniforms. This year we owe a special debt of gratitude crossing guard Francis Jackson who risked her life to save a child from a drunk driver. Thank you Francis Jackson for pushing that child to safety. (Recognize Ms. Jackson)

There is no higher priority for our Police Department than our children's future. A child mis-educated is a child lost. The most dangerous of all sins is the mutilation of a child's spirit. No child was ever born wanting to be a gang member.

Street gangs have become a serious problem in Jersey City as well as the rest of the nation. These gangs terrorize neighborhoods and are a tragic waste of young lives.

This sad fact is evident by just looking around Jersey City where gangs hang out. In order to fight this problem we also need the help of the community. One person who knows the tragic effects of gang violence is Pam Corrente, She is the mother of 21 year old Damien Corrente who was innocently caught in the crossfire of a gang shootout in 1999 in Long Island. She is fighting to raise awareness about gang violence and has raised a billboard at the Corner of Hoboken and Palisades Avenue to help educate the people of Jersey City. (Thank Ms. Corrente)

I have directed the Police Department to address this problem. The Department has established an Anti-Gang task force. Officers will be stationed at Quality of Life posts in each district to curtail gang and disorderly group activity.

We have secured a $500,000 grant to fund the Quality of Life posts and to clear our streets of gang members who hang out on corners.

I have also asked the police to initiate a plan to enforce the juvenile and business curfew laws, which help keep groups of people from gathering on street corners.

They tell me that you can never end crime, but every day I'm in office it will be my top priority to fight it.

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