The Review today has a great cover story on muggings and crime in Newark. (The cover places locations of muggings in the last month on a Newark map - it is scary. Sadly, I couldn't find the image on the Review's web site.)
The article (plus support articles and editorial) covers the brutal crimes (six armed robberies in the immediate campus vicinity within a month), and quotes Newark PD and University DPS officials. To summarize their thoughts.
Newark PD: "This is normal, the crime is no higher than any other year. There is nothing we can do about it."
University DPS: "Students shouldn't walk alone at night. Students shouldn't drink. Stay home at night and you'll be safe."
Ummm, no. Sorry. Newark is a small city. Newark ABSOLUTELY should be safe. I should be able to walk around at night (or go running) on major streets and not worry about muggings. I should be able to work late at the university and walk to my car without worrying about getting mugged. Students should be able to go to the bars and walk home without having a gun thrust in their faces. Sadly, that world is not the world of Newark in 2008.
And what are the Newark Police doing about the crime in Newark?
Patrolling Main Street in the middle of the day in unmarked cars. Yep, they're trying really hard to do something about the muggings.
16 September 2008
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