EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — Crime continued on the decline in New Jersey for a second year in a row, and Gov. Phil Murphy announced on Tuesday that the state had recorded the fewest number of shootings since it began keeping track.
Speaking to a crowd of law enforcement and elected officials in East Rutherford, he thanked them for their commitment to safety and security.
“Make no mistake that a whole generation of young people are better off, and in many cases alive, because of the work the folks in this room and in our communities have done,” said Murphy.
There were 778 gunshot victims in New Jersey last year, down 16% from 2023.
Murphy said the state has invested in innovative solutions, like community-based violence intervention programs in places like Camden, to squash conflicts.
Mayor Vic Carstarphen said the 17 homicides recorded in Camden last year were the fewest since 1985 and violent crime was at the lowest levels in more than 50 years.
“You know we can’t rest on that. We have to continue working and loving the city as passionately as we do for our community,” said Carstarphen.
Both Murphy and Carstarphen say the goal is zero crime and they will continue advancing ideas to keep bringing the numbers down.