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Mayor Marty Small Sr. held a news conference with city police Chief James Sarkos on Wednesday, Jan. 10, to address the sharp rise in deadly violence to start the new year. They were joined by members of the city's anti-violence and reentry services teams.
Mayor Small Sr. said he was frustrated by a police union statement released on Monday, Jan. 8 that criticized the city for not having enough resources.
"We gave this police department a great contract," the mayor said. "We're giving the police chief a great contract. This administration has been very bullish on promotions."
The four homicides to start 2024 are a troubling trend compared to recent years. According to the mayor, there were seven homicides each in 2023 and 2022. Five of those killings in each year were gun-related. There were also 13 homicides in Atlantic City in 2021, seven of which involved guns.
Chief Sarkos said the police department is taking "decisive action" to deal with the surge in violence.
"We are intensifying our presence in affected neighborhoods, have increased our minimum staffing levels, and are collaborating and working with our public safety partners on ongoing operations," said Chief Sarkos.
A man and a teen boy were killed in two separate shootings in Atlantic City last weekend. Police said 37-year-old Kevin Gayle Jr. of Marmora was shot and killed on Sunday, Jan. 7. A 14-year-old boy was killed and a 16-year-old boy was injured in a shooting on Atlantic Avenue on Friday, Jan. 5.
Police are also investigating two deadly stabbings on New Year's Day. Officers found 22-year-old Nazir Cintron dead on the Boardwalk at Michigan Avenue just after 7:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 1.
About an hour earlier, police said 50-year-old Richard Vincent O'Brien III died after he was stabbed in the neck on South California Avenue. Prosecutors said 30-year-old Vincent Oglesby of Woodbine is charged with murdering O'Brien III.
Atlantic City's mayor and police chief did express optimism for 2024 because of nearly $9 million in police upgrades. The city is getting $5 million to expand its surveillance camera program by adding 1,000 cameras in more than 200 locations.
A federal grant from the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program will give the city $3.75 million to hire 30 new police officers. The police union's statement urged the city to speed up the process of hiring those officers.
Mayor Small Sr. said discussions about hiring those officers have been ongoing and "we hope to have the final numbers wrapped up" on Monday, Jan. 15.
"We are eagerly anticipating the positive impact and enhanced safety that welcoming 30 new police officers will bring to our community," Chief Sarkos said.
Mayor Small Sr. and members of the city's anti-violence program said they remain dedicated to providing programs focused on preventing crime among teens and young adults.
"No fair-minded individual will ever be able to say that there's nothing for kids to do in this community under my watch and that's my commitment," the mayor said.
"We're in the community, we're out there, we're looking, but we need help," said Floyd Tally, director of the city's anti-violence program. "We need help from the community."
The city is planning to hold a previously scheduled peace march at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 13. It will start at O'Donnell Memorial Park and end at city hall.
That march was supposed to be held on Saturday, Jan. 6, but it was postponed due to bad weather.
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