Violence in Fourth Ward Stops Now, Officials Declare

Hours after four people were shot in her Fourth Ward, Montclair Councilwoman Renee Baskerville said the council and police were "going to make some immediate changes.”

She wasn't kidding.

At a community meeting held Wednesday evening at the Montclair Fire Department Headquarters on Pine Street, changes including increased nighttime police patrols in the ward and brighter lighting were announced to a capacity crowd that included elected officials, clergy members, community activists and concerned residents.

Deputy Police Chief Todd M. Conforti told the crowd the department will increase police patrols at night. He said four officers will patrol via foot and vehicle in the Fourth Ward in the evenings and earned a round of applause from many in the audience. 

Conforti even shared a critique of his own force when considering the problem of increasing violence in the township.

"I think we're doing a good job investigating," he said. "We need to do better with prevention."

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said the recent shootings in Montclair is a problem that must be addressed on the county level as well. 

"We're taking this extremely seriously," he said, promising resources in the form of assistance from the county sheriff's office. "We're not going to tolerate this sort of behavior. 

"This is an Essex County tragedy. This could happen in any of our 22 communities."

The county executive vowed to make whatever resources Montclair needs available, noting "you can't put a dollar figure on public safety."

"We will have special units in addition to the four patrolling officers, giving us as many as five additional patrollers," Dashield said. "We're also looking at changing the traffic pattern to make it inconvenient for people doing bad things."

Among the things being considered are adding speed bumps, installing cameras in the area and budgeting for the necessary funds, Dashield said, adding that preliminary discussions are already underway with PSE&G. 

"We're also working with property owners to commit to a 'no trespassing' policy," he added. 

Mayor Robert Jackson said he was tired of talk.

"The community is looking for actions, results and presence," he said. "We've committed as a council to show unprecedented levels of police on the street. Over the next 10 days, where there are five light poles on Mission Street there will be eight, increased from 100 watts to 200 watts."

He said new, bright lights will be at the northernmost portion of New Street and at the intersection of Fulton and New streets.

The mayor also tried to reassure residents that the town is prepared to assist. He noted the special crimes unit of the Montclair Police Department is on alert, that two new officers were hired this year and that two more will be hired next year, and that he is pressuring township police to fill its present five vacancies. 

"We are not going to rest until this kind of behavior changes," Jackson said, promising that more news was forthcoming. "The people doing the right thing have to feel that they can operate in their community without being subject to unconscionable acts of violence. Whatever resources we need we will use."

'No More Lip Service'

Fresh in the minds of all in attendance was the shooting of three teenagers and a 20-year-old around 1 a.m. Tuesday, the ward's fifth shooting in three months, and much of the discussion centered around how Montclair residents, organizations and businesses can help reduce crime. 

This was Baskerville's true goal, she told Patch. The councilwoman said she called the special gathering to facilitate collaboration between "elected officials from the municipality, the county, the state, and most importantly, neighbors to come up with solid ideas and to make sure we are on the same page. This is not going to be more lip service. We're going to walk out of here with concrete ideas."  

And there were a host of ideas, from instituting a curfew for teens and encouraging businesses to mentor youth to reestablishing community center youth programs in the area including New and Mission streets.

Some criticisms were aired. One woman sharply addressed Jackson, noting the meeting was the first time she had seen him.

A man chastised DiVincenzo, who had already departed, for endorsing Republican Gov. Chris Christie's re-election campaign.

Some talked of the lack of job opportunities and positive activities in Montclair, particularly for young minority residents. Several people pointed fingers at parents of the Fourth Ward for not instilling strong family values into their children. And others stood to defend the ward.

"This is not the entire Fourth Ward," said state Sen. Nia Gill, who represents West Essex in Trenton and referred to those involved in the shootings. "The Fourth Ward is a vibrant, committed, exciting and diverse community. By painting it with a broad stroke you generate fear and panic and in some senses animosity to those who live there.

"Mission Street is not a violent neighborhood," she continued. "It is a neighborhood of hard-working, law-abiding citizens where violent acts have taken place."

The state senator reminded the audience that what happens in the Fourth Ward affects all of Montclair, which will be "the destination family town for the Super Bowl."

Baskerville said Montclair can expect to see many more meetings like the one Wednesday.

"This is just the start, the tip of the iceberg," she said, adding that municipal government and law enforcement cannot stop violence alone.

"Residents are the most important part of the equation," she said.