Newark, Jersey City And Paterson Mayors Announce Anti-Crime Plan

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The mayors of three of New Jersey's largest cities are looking at ways to pool resources to tackle violent crime.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and Paterson Mayor Jose Torres spoke to reporters Monday in one of Jersey City's violence-plagued neighborhoods.

They discussed expanding their intelligence-sharing because criminals from one city often travel between the other two. They also will review strategies for prisoner re-entry, the foreclosure crisis and spending on recreation to identify areas in which a joint approach could produce better results.

"We must work as a team to address crime at its roots and its results, preventing it before it happens and uniting to apprehend criminals after it does," Baraka said. "We must provide residents, as well as offenders with alternatives to gangs and drugs, and provide them with jobs and hope. We are all in this together, and together we will eradicate crime by improving the overall quality of life in New Jersey's urban cities."

Paterson recently endured the death of a 12-year-old Genesis Rincon who was shot while riding her scooter to a family get-together and  Newark has seen violent crime increase recently.

Two weeks ago, police officer Melvin Santiago was fatally shot in Jersey City.

"The recent tragic deaths of Genesis Rincon in Paterson, Officer Melvin Santiago in Jersey City broke our hearts, but must never break our spirit," Torres said. "We owe it to our communities to act, doing nothing is not an option."

The news conference was held in a neighborhood that was the site of a sidewalk memorial set up for 27-year-old Lawrence Campbell, the man who police said shot and killed 23-year-old rookie Jersey City cop.

The memorial included candles, balloons and empty liquor bottles. A pair of white t-shirts were taped to a red brick wall, with handwritten messages on them including "thug in peace" and "see you on the other side." It sparked outrage among city officials, who ordered it taken down.

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