ATLANTIC CITY –
Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa and Atlantic
City Public Safety Director Will Glass today
announced the deployment of 20 additional
police officers who are assigned to the
Tourism District to provide enhanced police
presence and safety as part of Governor
Christie’s “Clean & Safe”
initiative in Atlantic City.
Attorney General Chiesa and Director Glass
made the announcement at the police substation
on the Boardwalk, in the presence of many
of the 20 new officers, who graduated last
week from the police academy as special
law enforcement officers – officers
who have full police powers, but who are
paid by the hour and are subject to certain
restrictions. They were joined by regular
bike patrol officers and tactical team members
assigned to the Tourism District by the
police department, as well as casino security
guards and a group of the 60 “ambassadors”
employed by the Casino Reinvestment Development
Authority to provide guidance to visitors
and serve as added eyes and ears for security.
“These 20 new special law enforcement
officers will mean optimal police presence
in the Tourism District,” said Attorney
General Chiesa. “Before the Clean
& Safe initiative began, visitors said
they wanted to see a stronger police presence
in Atlantic City. Today, we answer that
call. Wherever people go around the Boardwalk
and casinos, day or night, they will find
their path well-lighted and shared by officers
and ambassadors who are there to guide them
and ensure their safety.”
“The additional officers we are hiring
and the productive partnerships we have
established with state, county and federal
law enforcement agencies are increasing
our capacity to combat crime and address
quality of life issues with greater flexibility
and effectiveness throughout Atlantic City,”
said Director Glass. “These efforts
represent a win-win for residents and visitors
to the city.”
The Atlantic City Police Department will
deploy six to eight of the special law enforcement
officers per shift in the Tourism District.
The district is already patrolled by more
than 50 regular officers of the Atlantic
City Police Department who are trained for
bike or ATV duty. In addition, the police
department has a 10-member “Tac Team”
tactical unit that conducts quality-of-life
enforcement patrols in and around the Tourism
District. The casinos have approximately
34 security personnel who conduct safety
patrols around the casino perimeters, including
bike patrols.
The CRDA ambassadors, whose ranks have
expanded from 22 to 60 under the Clean &
Safe initiative, combine the roles of roaming
concierge and watchful guardian. Each day,
20 or more ambassadors, wearing neon yellow
for visibility, are stationed on the Boardwalk
and Pacific and Atlantic Avenues from 6
a.m. until midnight (2 a.m. on Fridays and
Saturdays). They carry phones to rapidly
report any public safety issues to police.
The first phase of lighting upgrades on
the Boardwalk added retro-style, high-intensity
street lights that illuminate the night
with the brilliance of daylight from New
Jersey to Albany Avenues. The lighting creates
an atmosphere of safety, where people can
see and be seen by the many officers, guards
and ambassadors watching over them.
Other “Clean
& Safe” Enhancements in Atlantic
City
The augmented police presence is part of
a comprehensive package of safety and quality-of-life
enhancements being implemented under Governor
Christie’s Clean & Safe initiative,
including:
Atlantic City Violent Crime Task
Force - Comprised of members
of the Division of Criminal Justice, State
Police, Atlantic County Prosecutor’s
Office, Atlantic City Police Department,
Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office,
and the State Parole Board, the mission
of the Task Force is to target organized
criminal groups operating throughout the
city and beyond.
Eyes on Atlantic City -
The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s
Office, working with the ACPD, has mapped
over 450 privately-owned surveillance
systems in the city and is making data
from those systems available to law enforcement.
The project has already succeeded in capturing
footage of criminal activity for law enforcement.
Surveillance & Communication
Enhancements - The Division of
Gaming Enforcement, in partnership with
the casinos, has audited existing casino
surveillance systems and public safety
resources, including closed-circuit TV
systems for casino parking garages and
perimeters. Public and private partners
are working to fill in the gaps in a citywide
network of surveillance cameras, with
initiatives targeting the Gateway region
and Boardwalk. The goal is to develop
a consolidated system of surveillance
and public safety communication. The CRDA
has earmarked $3.5 million dollars to
support ACPD technology enhancements.
Tip411 - The ACPD will
soon launch a new crime fighting tool,
funded by the CRDA, which will give citizens
the ability to provide immediate, anonymous
tips and intelligence to police. “Tip
411” is a privately operated, Internet-based
system that enables the public to text
message a tip to police, and allows police
to respond, creating a two-way confidential
“chat.”
Outreach at the Beach Initiative
- Since December, the ACPD, in conjunction
with the Atlantic City Rescue Mission,
Jewish Family Services, AtlantiCare Regional
Medical Center and the Veterans Administration,
have implemented the Outreach at the Beach
initiative to screen homeless and transient
individuals in the Tourism District, connect
them with social services, and, when possible,
return them to their families or other
support networks.
Zero Tolerance Crackdown
- Since January 2011, the ACPD and the
State Police’s Casino Gaming Bureau
have implemented a “zero tolerance”
policy regarding prostitution, making
hundreds of arrests in anti-prostitution
details in casino lounges and along Pacific
Avenue.
Demolition of Abandoned Buildings/Clean
Parks & Neighborhoods –
About two dozen abandoned buildings have
been demolished or are slated for demolition
thanks to efforts spearheaded by the CRDA.
In addition, the ACPD has worked closely
with the CRDA and Special Improvement
District (SID) to clean up the Tourism
District and surrounding neighborhoods,
including parks and playgrounds. The SID,
assisted by the City Department of Public
Works, has established effective protocols
to respond to police alerts regarding
issues related to trash, graffiti or other
problems. Up to 40 locations weekly are
addressed and graffiti removed by graffiti
wipes, power washing or painting over
the areas.
### |