Ken Ferrante left work at the Hoboken Police Department on Friday a lieutenant and returned today a sergeant.

"It feels awkward," said Ferrante who was formerly a commander of three community policing bureaus and is now a first line supervisor over one four-member unit.

Ferrante is one of nine senior officers who have been demoted effective today as part of Mayor Dawn Zimmer's police redeployment plan that she has said will save taxpayers on the city's high personnel costs.

The city recently reported over $2 million in savings through the plan.

In response, the PSOA - the senior police officers' union - is appealing the decision.

HOBOKEN - The Hudson County Prosecutor's Office and Hoboken police are investigating the "suspicious death" of a 64-year-old city woman.

The woman's body was discovered early yesterday morning in her apartment at 1034 Clinton St., authorities said. U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez also lives at this complex.

Judging by Wednesday night’s City Council meeting, the city’s new six month budget, introduced by a narrow 5-4 vote by the majority allied with Mayor Dawn Zimmer, will be the fresh ground on which many familiar political battles will be fought in the next four weeks until its public hearing on Sept. 29.

A standing room only crowd of men and women in bright yellow t-shirts labeled “Stop the Zimmer Police Layoffs!” filled the council chambers. Their spokespersons warned the mayor’s plan to lay off 18 police officers and demote 19 others will expose Hoboken to a greater risk of crime, and was unwarranted when the budget is running a $10 million surplus even after $1.9 million is used for tax relief.

Occhipinti Statement on Police Layoffs

Recently the state gave Mayor Dawn Zimmer approval to proceed with significant cutbacks within the Hoboken Police Department, resulting in the termination and demotion of 37 officers. While we all recognize the need for fiscal responsibility, I have concerns that these cuts can pose a significant threat to the safety and security of the citizens of Hoboken.
 
Contrary to the mayor's claims that this will not reduce the number of officers patrolling the streets, police sources have stated that this will result in 14 fewer officers on patrol. This is because 15 of the 19 superior officers being demoted are already performing these roles in the streets and not, as the mayor has stated, being moved off of desk jobs.  

Dear Mayor Zimmer:

I have reviewed the PBA funded analysis of the DLGS (Division of Local Government Services) audit of the Hoboken Police Department.

Unfortunately, I agree with the conclusions of Northeast Labor Consultants, Inc. that the DLGS report regarding first line "patrol" officers is based on errors, miscalculations, omissions, and contradictions.

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.

According to Lt. Ken Ferrante, Commander of Hoboken Community Policing, there will be a meeting tonight at police headquarters to address crime around the 2nd Street Light Rail station.

The meeting was organized by a Hoboken resident who felt concerned about crime in the area of 2nd and Harrison streets, particularly on Friday nights. The meeting will be at 7 p.m. inside police headquarters. The room can only accommodate about 10-15 people, so the meeting is specifically for people who live near the Light Rail stop.

Ferrante said crime and crime-prevention solutions will be discussed tonight.

Detective Lombardi's letter is emotionally driven, not fact-based

11/25/2006  HR
 
Dear Editor:

Detective Vincent Lombardi's letter published November 19, 2006 (Blood will continue to flow in the streets) is emotionally driven not fact-based, and comes at a critical time in contract negotiations between the City of Hoboken and the union that he represents. His statements are irresponsible and disingenuous at best and may have instilled in our residents an unjustifiable sense of fear.

The facts are clear, in 2005 the violent crime rate in the United States was 4.7 per 1000 population; in the State of New Jersey it was 3.6 per 1000 population; and in the City of Hoboken it was 2.9 per 1000 population. This translates into an increase in violent crime in the United States; a 0 percent increase/decrease in violent crime in New Jersey; and a 19.1 percent decrease in violent crime in the City of Hoboken. What is more impressive is the fact that the violent crime, rate for the City of Hoboken year-to-date in 2006 compared to 2005's record breaking crime reduction is down an additional 6.5 percent and the non-violent crime rate is down 23.3 percent.

Responding to Mr. Lombardi's letter regarding our police department

11/25/2006 HR

Dear Editor:

We write in response to Vince Lombardi's over-wrought letter, entitled 'Blood will continue to flow in the streets', published on this page on November 19, 2006. In his letter, Mr. Lombardi eagerly points his finger at the Administration and City Council, displays utter disregard for truth and reason, and callously exploits the victims 'and tragedy of crime.

A 21-year-old convicted drug dealer from Jersey City turned himself in to the Hudson County prosecutor's office on Wednesday following the fatal shooting on Fourth and Jackson Streets in Hoboken that left 22-year-old Ronald Dixon, also of Jersey City, dead. The incident occurred on Friday Nov. 10 shortly after 12 p.m.

According to Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio, witness testimonies as well as surveillance tapes recovered from the scene of the crime led investigators to believe that Carlos A. Myrie is the alleged shooter.

"It was a brazen act of violence in broad daylight," said DeFazio, who added that Myrie was released from prison in March of this year after being convicted of distributing drugs within 1,000 feet of a school in Jersey City.

As president of the Hoboken Police Department's PBA, I am compelled, to inform Hoboken's community of a serious increase of violent crime plaguing our City.

Throughout the year, I have spoken at council meetings and sent dozens of letters to our elected officials, all of which have gone unanswered, warning that increased violence in our neighboring cities will eventually spill over and like a virus infect our community. Even after the February murder of Ismar Mineros, an 18 year old resident, gunned down in our City, again I called for the hiring of more police officers. My pleas were dismissed and unanswered.

Hoboken hoodlums thought to be members of the notorious "Bloods" gang attacked and repeatedly slashed several youths who were leaving a birthday party Saturday night at Hoboken's Elks Lodge, police said.

According to a statement given to police by the victims, one of whom was a 21-year-old from Union City who received multiple lacerations to his face and behind his ear, the aggressors were Latino males from Hoboken's housing projects who may be "Bloods" gang members. The assailants were not guests at the party and could not be specifically identified by the victims, according to Sgt. Michael Costello.

One adult witness at the scene described the assailants as black males wearing red baseball-style caps with black and red striped sweaters, according to the police report.

HOBOKEN