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Crime Statistics Questioned

10/11/17 Council Meeting

David Caba

PERTH AMBOY – During the Public Portion of the 10/11/17 Council Meeting, Resident and Businessman David Caba referred to a report on the statistics of crime in Central Jersey that was published on the Internet, “According to this report, Perth Amboy has the 5th most violent crime in Central Jersey, which is according to the State Police and the FBI. You guys need to do your homework.

Can you imagine if myself, Ken Balut and Stanley Sierakowski didn’t’ come up here? I like this Council. I think you ran for office because you care. Councilman Joel Pabon – I don’t always agree with you, but I like what you do. Councilman Fernando Irizarry – I don’t always agree with you. Council President Bill Petrick – you, too. Councilman Fernando Gonzalez – what would we do without you? Councilman Helmin Caba, you’re new here. You have to ask yourself why am I running (for office)? Here (the City) is the 5th most violent (in Central Jersey). I didn’t agree with Greg Fehrenbach (former Business Administrator) all the time, but I would ask a question and he would give an answer. Mr. King (Law Director), you are a very responsible man. You always ask a question.”

Councilman Fernando Irizarry asked where David Caba got his information from (on the crime statistics).

Acting Police Chief
Roman McKeon

Acting Police Chief Roman McKeon came up to speak  to clarify the report on the Internet. “These statistics are a reflection of interstate uniform required codes. Some towns do not report their numbers. In Perth Amboy, we don’t do that. Violent crime is categorized as: homicide, manslaughter, rape, and assaults.

McKeon proceeded to read a report on crime in Perth Amboy from 2016-2017, giving statistics on each category of violent crime. “For a city our size, crime is not that extensive. We’ve had issues with people coming out of taverns (late at night) drunk. We’ve talked about this to tavern owners. Perth Amboy is one of the safest cities in the State of New Jersey. I put no credibility in that report (the one Caba referred to on the Internet). It’s very safe to walk the streets in Perth Amboy. I’m very proud of the men and women who serve as Police Officers. We’re proud of the City Administrators who back us up.”

Resident Alan Silber came up next, “We have a Police Department to deal with problems – not to prevent them. If there were no crime, we wouldn’t need police.”

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