IRVINGTON, NJ — As the 2017-2018 school year began Thursday, Sept. 7, Mayor Tony Vauss and Public Safety Director Tracy Bowers celebrated the success of the Summer Policing Plan, which had resulted in no homicides in town from the end of school in June until Labor Day on Monday, Sept. 4.
Since Vauss became mayor in 2014, he, Bowers, and PSD employee Joseph Santiago have gone to great lengths to develop and implement the Summer Policing Plan to counter the so-called “summer spike,” which former Mayor Wayne Smith had noted four years ago that urban municipalities often face.
According to Vauss, Bowers and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Irvington has only had three homicides so far this year, which the mayor said is a testament to the success of the proactive, targeted approach to policing. But they agreed that even one homicide is always “one too many.”
“What it means is that we are doing the right things here in Irvington, keeping our community safe,” said Vauss on Monday, Sept. 11. “Last year, we had historic numbers. This year, we’re on pace to do even better than last year.”
Last year, township and county officials said Irvington had only four homicides, although it didn’t register its first homicide until May and, afterward, the town went another five months before the final three killings, which all occurred in October.
“We can make our community what we want to make it today,” said Vauss. “We don’t have to wait until tomorrow. Most people think that other communities are better than their own, but that’s not true.”
Bowers agreed, saying “Yes, the Summer Plan was a success,” on Tuesday, Sept. 12. “There were no homicides over the summer again this year. The officers, along with the administration’s support, worked really hard. The challenge is to finish out the rest of the year strong.”
According to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and Bowers, Irvington suffered its first homicide of 2017 on Saturday, Feb. 25. The second homicide occurred in the 300 block of Myrtle Avenue on Friday, May 12, when Dino Bermudez, 33, of Newark, was shot and died from his wounds two days later.
The third homicide occurred Saturday, May 27. According to acting Essex County Prosecutor Thomas S. Fennelly of the Prosecutor’s Homicide Unit, the victim was identified as Jawad R. Smith, 22, of Newark.
“The Irvington incident occurred shortly after 7:30 p.m.,” Fennelly said Sunday, May 28. “Irvington officers responded to the 400 block of Grove Street on reports of a shooting. Arriving officers located an unresponsive male suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:47 p.m.”
Bowers said the goal is to build on the public safety gains the township has made over the last few years.
“Last year, we had a record low number of reported crime. Now we are up against our own success,” said Bowers. “In November 2017 and January 2018, we are planning to add more police officers to the force to replace officers that have retired, as well as those officers who will be retiring in 2018 and 2019.”
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