ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — It has been a tragic start to 2024 in Atlantic City, as the city has seen four homicides already in the first 10 days of the year.
Those four killings are more than half the end-of-year total of seven each in 2022 and 2023. Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small says the police and anti-violence groups are asking members of the community to come to them with information about growing community tensions and feuds before they escalate.
“We’re going to hold each other accountable,” said Small. “Understand, this is a cry to the community. Instead of criticizing, join the fight. It’s unacceptable what happened. But at the end of the day, we’re going to move forward to prevent anything else from happening.”
Atlantic City Police Chief James Sarkos says officers are doing all they can to keep the violence from getting worse.
“We are intensifying our presence in affected neighborhoods, have increased our minimum staffing levels, and are collaborating and working with our public safety partners on ongoing operations,” he explained.
Residents who want safer streets can share tips anonymously with police, Sarkos says, or with anti-violence organizations in the city.
“Be a part of us,” said Floyd Tally, anti-violence director for the city’s One Neighborhood Evolution initiative. “This is like an open welcome to the community to be addressing the problems with us. We can work better and smarter together.”