Camden, New Jersey; One of America’s Most Crime-Ridden Cities Disbands the Police Department
There are valid arguments on all sides of this question - on the police force’s side is the fact that they appear undermanned due to the amount of overtime worked, but on the Governor’s side are five years of being among “the most crime ridden” cities. These are the puts and takes that will play out the next few years across the nation based on the outcome of the coming elections.
Camden Police Department closure opponents claim the city’s decision is a form of union busting. Approximately 49 percent of current Camden police officers will be transferred to the Metro Division of the Camden County Police agency and will undergo five months of training before hitting the streets again.
“This is definitely a form of union busting. This method is unproven and untested, to put your faith in an agency that doesn’t even yet exist,” Camden Fraternal Order of Police President John Williamson stated during an interview with Fox News. “The officers who are getting laid off are going to have to be the ones who train their replacements.”
The Camden Police Department has been under New Jersey state control since 2005. A “power struggle” between the department and then-Mayor Gwendolyn Faison allegedly prompted the Camden mayor to ask for state supervision. The Camden Police Department state arrangement will soon expire and New