Crime has always been one of this newspaper’s coverage areas. We have an excellent relationship with the local police department and have reported on many of the various crimes that occur in Hammonton each week. During the last several years, many of those crimes have made headlines.
There is a reason for our increased coverage of crime. Crime exists locally, as it does in every town. As the local newspaper for the past 24 years, we consider it part of our journalistic duty to report local crime, and we’re confident in our ability to report on criminal activity within our town.
Therefore, we are requesting an increase in patrols on the following local streets, particularly in our core downtown and uptown areas: Orchard Street, Railroad Avenue, 12th Street, Bellevue Avenue, Vine Street, Peach Street, Grape Street, Cherry Street, Third Street, Egg Harbor Road, 11th Street, Washington Street, Messina Avenue, Pleasant Street, White Horse Pike (Rt. 30), Main Road, Plymouth Road, all roadways within Plymouth Place Apartments and all roadways within the Meadows development.
Do you have a street in Hammonton that you believe would benefit from added police patrols? If so, email us at grullo@hammontongazette.com.
The Hammonton Police Department is a competent, well-trained police force led by Hammonton Police Chief Kevin Friel and Captain Mark Fiorentino. They will know what to do with whatever they encounter on these increased patrols. We believe more patrols will reduce crime in these areas of town, and the increased police presence will create a climate of lawful conduct throughout town. In other communities, we have seen the municipal government and police departments give in to lawlessness.
Not in our town.
Right now, there is much actual police work to do in our town. We support our local police and will help them in any way possible.