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Atlantic City police arrested 17 people in several operations targeting "areas of violence" from January, the department announced on Tuesday, Feb. 6. One additional person is wanted in the crime surge.
Seven of the 17 arrested people were being held at the Atlantic County Justice Facility, while the other 10 were released on a summons with a future court date. The identities of those arrested were not released.
During the arrests, officers recovered three guns, a replica firearm, a vehicle, and $1,080 in cash. Investigators also seized several types of drugs in the operations.
The seized drugs included 18 1/2 grams of cocaine, 42 bags of heroin, four grams of fentanyl, 75 ecstasy pills, seven oxycodone pills, four Xanax pills, 16 grams of psychedelic mushrooms, and 51 grams of marijuana.
The arrests came after a relatively violent start to the year in Atlantic City, with five people killed in January. That was on pace to surpass the homicide rates in 2023 and 2022 when seven people were killed each year, according to Mayor Marty Small Sr.
During his State of the City Address on Friday, Feb. 2, Mayor Small Sr. spoke about his public safety goals to stop the surge in violence. He shared details on the police officers that will be hired through the $3.75 million Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) federal grant.
Mayor Small Sr. said every kindergarten through eighth-grade school will get a police officer hired from the COPS grant. Atlantic City High School will also have two officers on its campus.
Ten more officers will be hired from the COPS grant to join the patrols on Atlantic and Pacific avenues. The ten school police officers will also join those patrols in the summer once classes end.
The city is also installing 1,000 surveillance cameras in every neighborhood. The mayor also said the police department is planning to bring back its motorcycle unit.
Mayor Small Sr. said the city's anti-violence and reentry services programs will try to prevent crime among children and young adults. The city is also working to help people without homes find resources, aided by a "homeless czar" sent by the state.
Anyone with information about drug activity or other crimes can text an anonymous tip to TIP411 (847411). You must begin your text with "ACPD".
You can also call the special investigations section of the Atlantic City Police Department at 609-347-5858.
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