Decade Long Public Safety Policy Failure by Bloomfield Municipal Government, Part I

“I am alarmed that our youth who should either be at home under a parent’s supervision or engaged in some type of productive or recreational activity, are instead roaming our streets creating mayhem through senseless and random acts of violence,” Newark Police Director Samuel DeMaio was quoted on Wednesday May 10, 2012 after the arrest of three teenagers in connection with a crime spree outside the Prudential Center during May 2012.  About 10 to 15 juveniles attacked five people near Broad and Market streets after a Red Hot Chili Peppers show, police said. At least one of the victims was seriously injured and police said victims’ cell phones were also stolen.

Most likely a direct answer, not only to this specific incident, but in general to these types of incidents the IronBound community in Newark's East Ward in effective cooperation with Newark Police department and their legitimate councilman and invested local businesses have reinvested and recommitted to implementing an effective public safety policy that is highlighted by prevention and not just reacting to social problems.  A Newark police detective, who most likely didn't need his family to get him the job nor did he need his family to cover for his criminal activity and incompetence while on the job, pointed out that the Newark PD will be working with private building owners and the city of Newark to identify highly visible and effective spots to install the new signage that will create unmistakable public awareness of New Jersey state criminal code and a phone number to call to report problems.  The East Ward residents continue to work with New Jersey Transit and PSE&G to make sure that areas that are vulnerable to criminal mischief are free from graffiti (removal in a timely manner, not years and years like we have in Bloomfield) and litter and to make sure that all light outages are reported and repaired.  The fence that borders Home Depot and Charles street is endlessly being torn down by the Bloomfield public school students; it took over a year to have the broken light at Ella and Cross streets to be repaired by PSE&G.

"The group believes that by working together in a cooperative way, everyone can make contributions that will help keep the IronBound District clean and safe for the people who live and work there, as well as the many visitors drawn to the Ironbound’s great dining and shopping and nearby attractions like the Prudential Center." Working together doesn't mean having our own community policing department tell criminal actors to break the laws and don't worry about it because it's no big deal.  Oh and by the way remember we did this for you and vote Democrat this November so the council can reappoint me year after year. Truly insane!  Where Bloomfield, especially the shadow of its former self Bloomfield Center, has had a steady decline since the late 1980's some parts of Newark, University Heights, have really seen a renaissance.  Is a more professional, a more qualified, a more capable regime the reason? How could it not be?  Success is not magic; its what you are and you either are 'it' or you are 'not it' and we have had too many years of the wrongs side of the equation.

I was flipping through the Patch web sites and I found an excellent article on juvenile crime prevention composed in cooperation with the Fremont California Police Department (near Newark, California and San Francisco)
There is no single sign that will give away whether a juvenile is involved in organized street crime; A list of the risk factors have been compiled in terms of increasing risk and seriousness with each additional indicator; reasons to be concerned include:

    Truancy
    Decline in grades
    Change of friends
    Keeping late hours
    Alcohol and other drug use
    Having large sums of money or expensive items that cannot be explained
    Developing attitude problems with parents, teachers, or others in authority
    Intensifying anger
    Sudden hatred for another group
    Glamorizing street criminals (speaks of desire to go to the 'joint' (jail))
    Wearing out of character clothing or an importance placed on certain colors
    Withdrawing from the family
    Secretive or abrupt changes in behavior
    Abrupt changes in music tastes, clothing styles
    Presence of body modifications, including tattoos, scarring, burns and brands.
    Presence of graffiti in bedroom or on books, clothing, shoes, or posters

    or worse in public places
    Using hand signs to communicate with other associates, siblings,

    teachers, and parents

    Displaying photos showing names, slogans, insignia, hand signals,

    or people involved in street criminal activities
    Using criminal-style language
    Participating in street criminal activities
    Associating with known street criminals


Parents and Teachers can help deter a juvenile from street crime involvement.
Parents are an important factor in preventing high-risk behavior like street crime involvement in youth.
Below are some tips to help parents keep their children away from organized street crime activity:

    Talk to your teen about high-risk behavior with street criminals and drugs
    Monitor your teen and set clear rules
    Identify risk factors for delinquent behavior, violence and

    street crime involvement
    Recognize warning signs indicating your teen may already be involved
    If your teen is involved with street criminals - ACT QUICKLY
    Get involved in your child’s life
    Get involved in your community
    Let your child know you love and care about him or her

There are some simple steps parents can take to keep track of their child’s activities. Of course, their child might not like them keeping tabs on where he or she is and what he or she is doing. It won’t be a democracy and it shouldn’t be,
according to many parenting experts.

In the end, it’s not pestering, it’s parenting.

    Set rules
    Praise and reward
    Know where your teen is and what he or she will be doing
    Talk to your teen
    Keep them busy - especially between 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.,

    when the majority of juvenile delinquency is committed
    Check on your teenager
    Establish a “core values statement” for your family.

    Establish a clear family position on drugs and repeat it often
    Be a good example
    Spend time together
    Take time to learn the facts about drugs and alcohol
    Get to know your teen’s friends (and their parents)
    Stay in touch with your child’s adult supervisors

Bottom line: “Get involved with your child’s life. Show them you care and DO NOT tolerate criminal behavior!”

All of this is well studied, researched, and documented. Imagine a municipal government that actually effectively acted on this work, actually solved a problem, a problem that has been steaming out of control for a decade now, four police chiefs later!  We do not have that local government in Bloomfield NJ.  A former third ward councilman's words have rung so loud this past year 'Fraud, Waste, Abuse' when describing the latest annual township budget and / or employee roster.  I recall a few more of the former councilman's words 'water boys' 'Hacks', 'ethically challenged political hacks', 'Dishonest', 'Pretend Democracy'
(see Bloomfield letter: A hypocrite , Thursday, December 15, 2011; Bloomfield letter: Great victory Thursday, May 31, 2012).

Look back at the starter paragraph and Sammy DeMaio's quotes.  Ask yourself if you want to live in a Bloomfield neighborhood of fear and violence and criminal activity. Talk to professional law enforcement agencies, talk to Trenton, talk to the Department of Justice, talk to the universities research departments, read the results of the studies, what to do is right in front of you; Bloomfield is savable because of you and your interests not because of who sits in Township Hall or in the Ralph Colasanti Law Enforcement Building with a knife and fork in your balance sheet for the rest of your life!