Camden Keeps Getting Less Scary

We told you last month about a whole slew of statistics that suggest Camden — notoriously torn by violence and poverty — is becoming a safer place to live. Well, here’s one more:

The city of Camden saw a nearly 50 percent reduction in gunfire in the first half of 2014, according to statistics compiled from an automatic-gunshot detection system.

ShotSpotter, a system that automatically detects gunfire and alerts local police departments, today reported that shots-fired incidents in Camden decreased 48.5 percent for the first half of 2014, compared with a year before

Chief J. Scott Thomson said it was an effort of community policing, coupled with the technology like ShotSpotter and the cooperation of the city’s residents, which has allowed the a crucial turn in momentum, the chief said.

I talked to Mayor Dana Redd recently, and she told me a goal for the city was to finally drop out of the top rankings for the most violent cities in America. At this rate, the goal just might be met sometime soon. [NJ.com]