Police Release Report On New Program Aimed At Curbing Daytime Shootings In Camden
CAMDEN, NJ (CBS) – Police have released a report on the progress of a new initiative in Camden County designed to suppress daytime shootings.
The initiative, dubbed "Operation Padlock," targets open air drug activity in the area of North Camden with the goal of curbing daytime shootings.
Since the program went into effect on August 14th, police have focused on the area around 6th and 5th Streets in North Camden, and 126 people have been arrested in various locations near that focal area.
Those arrested include dealers, buyers and three people accused of providing assisting to those engaging in illegal activity. Police say that while most of the dealers have addresses in Camden, about 85% of buyers are not from the city.
In addition to the arrests, almost a dozen vehicles have been towed and the Department of Public Works has made changes to the landscape in the area of 6th and Bailey to 6th and York, including clearing out weeds, bushes, trees and trash. Vacant properties have been boarded up and demolished, and lighting improvements have been made to dark alleyways.
