Camden gets $4 million to bolster police force

    A federal grant will allow Camden to add 30 officers to increase police protection in troubled neighborhoods.

    Camden’s police will be getting new officers thanks to some federal funding.

    As Camden’s budget is being slashed to the bone, a federal grant of more than $4 million will help pay for 30 police officers for the next three years for the troubled city. Congressman Rob Andrews, who helped secure the grant, says it’s all about making people feel secure.

    “You can’t have a prosperous city without the streets being safe and you can’t have the streets being safe without police. The No. 1 public safety problem in that region is crime, and this is a way to address that problem,” says Andrews.

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    Andrews says Camden is working with the state to provide police protection as possible to keep crime down. Camden’s budget is in perennial trouble and layoffs have been hanging over the head of police since summer.

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