Additional Law Enforcement Officers To Be Deployed Throughout Trenton To Combat Uptick In Violent Crime
TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) -- Authorities in New Jersey's capital city will deploy additional law enforcement officers in an attempt to curb spikes in violent crime, Trenton officials announced Sunday. This comes after 18-year-olds William Irrizarry and Julius Vargas were gunned down in South Trenton on Sunday morning.
The plan laid out by Mayor W. Reed Gusciora, Police Director Sheilah Coley and Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri will see extra law enforcement officers from the Mercer County Sheriff's Department and prosecutor's office stationed areas of Trenton that has seen an uptick in violent crime.
"Every homicide is one too many," Reed said. "While Trenton is just one of several cities struggling with violent crime as COVID-19 erodes economic opportunity across the country, we're not content to just be another statistic."
New Jersey State Police, which already has a presence in Trenton, was also asked to increase its patrols in the city throughout the coming week, officials said.
Officials are asking Mercer County to add another police academy session with the hopes of doubling the number of new officers at the Trenton Police Department later in 2020.