Combating crime around Hoboken's 2nd Street Light Rail

Published: Friday, January 16, 2009, Carly Baldwin, Hoboken Now

About 20 people attended Wednesday night's crime prevention meeting concerning several muggings and aggravated assaults that have occurred near Hoboken's 2nd Street Light Rail stop and around 2nd and Harrison streets.

Here's a summary from the Hoboken Police about that area, which they've determined a "hot spot," and (starting tonight!) what they'll be doing to prevent crime near the 2nd Street Light Rail:

Since Oct 12, 2008, there have been eight incidents of violent crime - meaning robberies and aggravated assaults -- in that area, said Sgt. Ken Ferrante, Commander of Hoboken Community Policing.

The police plan to work with the city to improve lighting there.

"2nd Street from Jackson down to the Light Rail station isn't sufficiently lit," said Ferrante. "2nd and Harrison used to be an industrial area and in last five years has become residential. We want to light that area up much more -- we want to make it like daylight."

In recent years, new buildings such as the Neapolitan, Harrison Court and the Sky Club have all been built near the Hoboken Light Rail.

There are already CCTV cameras around the Light Rail but police plan to install more and will attempt to get infrared lights and night vision cameras.

Starting tonight, the Hoboken Police, working with NJ Transit police and the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office, will initiate several new "strategies" of patrolling the area of 2nd and Harrison, said Ferrante, although he couldn't go into detail of what those strategies are.

Fourth Ward Councilwoman Dawn Zimmer, who was also at the meeting, said she'd like to start a Fourth Ward Community Block Watch and possible plant a community garden there and install more trash cans.

"The more we can do to make it a community area the better," said Zimmer of cleaning up the neighborhood.

The crimes have all occurred mostly on Friday nights between 9 pm and 1 a.m. and so far police have arrested 10 people for robbery and aggravated assault, six of which were Jersey City juveniles. There was also a murder at 3rd and Harrison in November, which involved the arrest of several Hoboken teenagers, said Ferrante.

"We believe it's overflow from the Jersey City Heights," said Ferrate of the crime.