TRENTON, N.J. - In Trenton, deadly shootings are 62 percent lower this year compared to last year. There were also no deadly shootings for a 90-day period over the summer.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia saw a record year of homicides and shootings in 2021. So far, there have been 430 homicides and 1,916 shootings in 2022.Philly council members noted collaboration among agencies and departments working to reduce violent crime and increase community relationship building was a big underlying theme of the Trenton visit.MORE HEADLINES:"It’s working here, so there’s no reason why we can’t do it in the City of Philadelphia.
People need to work together and stop putting on that public face in front of the camera," said Council President Darrell Clarke. "Get in a room, right, figure out a way to like each other, just for the sake of the citizens of the City of Philadelphia, and make this work.""If we have to twist and pull arms to have people be a part of the collaborative effort, sometimes that’s what we have to do to be able to push people to move in a certain direction," said Councilmember Isaiah Thomas.Council members are also interested in using modern technology to reduce violent crimes, such as the ShotSpotter gunshot detection system."They use it in collaboration with their cameras and it is having an impact, a direct impact, on homicide clearance rates, homicide and shooting rates," said Council majority leader Curtis Jones, Jr. "We have to take that back to Philly and take a look at how we can implement it."Part of the tour brought city leaders to the North Clinton Recreation Center which will soon reopen with brand new interiors and resources for youth in Trenton.Lieutenant Alexis Durlacher said the Trenton Police Department.