CAMDEN, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — A full 10 years after Camden disbanded its city police force and created a new agency run by the county focused on community policing, state and local officials say they are thrilled with the results. The Camden County Police Department has since been recognized as a national model, but officials on Monday celebrating the anniversary and the progress made in the last decade acknowledged there is still work to do.
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North Camden was selected as the place to mark the anniversary because, police say, it has seen the most dramatic turnaround. It used to be known as the Heroin Highway, a 24/7, open-air drug market that terrified citizens like Tamika Mason.
“Now, we definitely see tangible change. We definitely have more trust in the community,” Mason said. “There’s definitely more partnerships with the Police Department as well. It’s not perfect, by any chance — but anything that’s not perfect leaves room for progress.”
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The neighborhood used to be a place where families wouldn’t even consider letting their kids play outside. Now, with the county running police, Mason says her family and many others can live their lives without fear of being hit by a stray bullet.
“We just need to continue to build on everything,” she said. “You know, just more partnerships with the Police Department and just more trust.”
Mayor Vic Carstarphen said everyone in the city needs to wake up every morning and ask themselves: What can I do today to help make things better?
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The numbers speak for themselves. County Commissioner Lou Cappelli says there were 3,000 fewer crime victims in 2022 than in 2012.
In fact, said Police Chief Gabe Rodriguez, 2012 was one of the most violent years on record in Camden, with 63 murders. That number dropped to 23 last year. He says there’s a long way to go, but that progress is very encouraging.
“We’re seeing our kids outside. We’re seeing people clean up,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez, a Camden native, was laid off when the city police department disbanded, and he had to reapply for his job. There was union opposition to the idea at the time but, he said, the officers who returned with him committed to a new culture and a new approach.
“We hit the reset button. We were able to start new and fresh, and we have not stopped since, moving and climbing,” he said.
Rodriguez said it wasn’t easy to earn people’s trust, but it improves every day — and, he says, residents are safer than they have been in at least 50 years.
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