CAMDEN, N.J. – We knew it was coming. Now, it looks official. A total of 171 Camden police officers have been told they'll soon be out of a job, and so have other city workers. The cuts leave one of the most dangerous cities in the nation with about half of its police force. "It does look like it's going to happen," said John Williamson, the president of the local police union.
"At the close of business yesterday, it was a go." Fire union leaders are still making a last-ditch effort to avoid layoffs in their department. But the mayor says the police union isn't giving an inch on anything. "That's a misrepresentation of the facts," countered Williamson. "We have been meeting with the mayor. The last meeting that we had was on Dec. 21. We offered things in line with what the governor was looking for, such as wage freezes, step freezes."
Williamson went on to add that erroneous information was put out about concessions that were offered on longevity pay and other matters. Some would consider a scare tactic the police union taking out a full-page advertisement in a local news paper saying that the cuts would make living in Camden a "living hell." "Exactly, you're talking half the police force in the most dangerous city in America," Williamson said. "Over the last year, under Chief Thompson's plan, we've gotten to the point where we have been able to manage crime. But you're essentially telling the chief now, 'I'm taking away half your police department, continue performing at the same level.' It's absolutely impossible."
Will word get out on the street and will criminals take notice? "The word is on the street, and the bad guys are waiting," Williamson said. "And what people have to realize is this is not only a Camden issue. Crime is like a cancer. So, it's going to spread. The gangs don't only recruit in the cities. They recruit in the suburbs also. So, this is a serious issue."
He later added, "I'm saying everyone should be concerned about this, and I think what we should do is try to go back to the table, reach out to more of our politicians, on the national level also. We get the fact that there is a budget crisis in the state and in the country, and no one is saying that the pot of money that they have allotted here to the city to find money there. But there are other ways to generate income to fix this problem." Fox 29's Steve Keeley interjected, "It sounds like you're appealing as high up as the White House for money." "We're appealing as high up as the White House," Williamson answered. "We've seen bank bailouts, we've seen auto industry bailouts, and it's about time that we have a public safety bailout. We're seeing police and firefighters laid off all over the country. And we are the first line of defense. And when you start taking away the public's and the taxpayers' safety, what's next?"
So far in Camden, the Guardian Angels are stepping up to help. The group announced it will be starting street patrols on Sunday. Forty angels will walk the streets of Camden in their familiar red berets from 11 a.m. until midnight. Some Camden residents asked by Fox 29 News said they're happy to see the Guardian Angels in their community, but they are no replacement for police.