Caba Unveils “2020 Vision” to Strengthen Public Safety in Perth Amboy

PERTH AMBOY, NJ – (Sept. 25, 2020) – Councilman Helmin J, Caba unveiled sweeping strategies today to better protect people’s safety, their homes and businesses, and improve the Police Department’s crime-fighting capability.

“Public safety will be my Administration’s top priority,” said Caba, a leading candidate for mayor. “Proactive police work – along with positive outreach by officers to our residents – is a proven remedy to reduce crime. It’s also a linchpin to improve everyone’s quality-of-life.”

“We are ready to meet those challenges,” said Caba, noting he and City Council running mates – Rose B. Morales and Bienvenido “BJ” Torres Jr. – are the only candidates with “comprehensive plans for a safer, stronger city.”

“To raise people’s confidence and inspire their cooperation, our officers must redouble their community policing effort,” Caba said. “People should get to know their cops at Superior Diner’s lunch counter or in the checkout line at Supremo’s Market; not when they are victims of crime or getting a traffic summons.”

N.J. State Police Uniform Crime Reports from 2009–19 indicate that burglaries, robberies and car thefts are Perth Amboy’s most prevalent concern. “These crimes also plague most nearby communities, but those towns do more to combat them. Our City Hall has allowed these troubles to go unchecked for a decade,” Caba said.

To strengthen public safety, Caba’s “2020 Vision” Team would:

• Increase police visibility on city streets
• Promote positive communication between police and the public
• Restore the city’s “Neighborhood Watch” program
• Use social media as an interactive crime-fighting tool
• Strictly enforce traffic laws and city ordinances.

“My Administration will work hard to equip our dedicated police officers with the training, tools and technology they need to perform their duties,” Caba said, noting that officers should have the skills to:

• Use “community engagement” techniques
• Recognize and alleviate systemic discrimination
• Utilize state-of-the-art investigation procedures
• Deescalate potentially violent emergencies
• Safeguard their personal health and wellness.