7Online: Anti-Violence Task Force To Target Newark Killings. Newark and U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie announce a joint effort to quell violent crime in the city of Newark. The task force, which includes the DEA, FBI, and U.S. Marshals office adds dozens of officers on the ground in Newark’s neighborhoods and, presumably, costs the city little in terms of municpal dollars—very shrewd move on the part of Mayor Booker. Here’s hoping that this new task force puts down the trend of violent crime we’ve seen in recent weeks, including a string of five shootings in Newark and Orange just Monday night.
With scores of killings already committed this year in the state’s largest city, an anti-violence task force led by federal law enforcement agents said Monday it will focus solely on Newark to try to end the carnage.
The task force plans to dedicate extra officers to patrol Newark and investigate gun, drug and other types of crime. The goal is to prosecute more crimes under federal law, from which there is no parole.
On his first full business day in office, Mayor Cory Booker joined U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie and other authorities to announce the task force’s new mission. It was formed last November, but until Monday had lacked Newark’s participation.
“We have a city that for too long has endured a level of crime and violence that should not exist in a city this strong and a nation this great,” Booker said.