Crime & Safety
Should State Troopers Be Used to Patrol Individual Towns?
Newark becomes second New Jersey city in less than a year to deploy State Troopers for extra patrolling.
Dozens of New Jersey State Troopers were reassigned last week and are now patrolling the streets of Newark as part of a program named TIDE-TAG.
The program was designed to thwart the amount of violent crimes taking place in the state’s largest city, following a record year of homicides that saw 111 residents slain.
Find out what's happening in Newarkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
In July 2013 the state deployed the same program in Trenton as homicides and violent crimes skyrocketed in the early part of the year. Incidents decreased dramatically in Trenton after the program began.
Acting Attorney General John Hoffman has committed $2.2 million in state funds, federal Department of Justice grants, and criminal forfeiture funds to support the program, which is expected to last several months.
Find out what's happening in Newarkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
But should New Jersey be using state police to patrol individual cities or towns? Should enforcement be left to the municipality’s own devices? Do you support programs like the ones being used in Newark and, previously, Trenton? Is it worth the resources?
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