News from Councilman Elroy Corbitt
City of Orange Township
29 North Day Street,
Orange, New Jersey, 07050

News Advisory
For Release: Immediate

Summit on Violence: Saturday May 14th at 10:30 am at St. Matthew
AME Church,  336 Oakwood Ave Orange NJ.

Over the last several months there has been a rash of gun violence in Orange and the surrounding cities. The Summit on Violence brings together elected officials, police, prosecutors, residents, and young people to discuss the violence and develop concrete solutions.

Invited guests include Congressman Donald Payne, Senator Ronald Rice, Senator Richard Codey, Assemblyman Thomas Giblin, Assemblywoman Mila Jasey, Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver, Orange Mayor Eldridge Hawkins Jr.,East Orange Mayor Robert Bowser, Irvington Mayor Wayne Smith, Prosecutor Carolyn Murray, Orange Police Director John Rappaport, Newark Councilwoman Mildred Crump and others.

Councilman Elroy Corbitt said, “We are in the midst of a serious recession, and when jobs are lost, crime gets worse. Across America, cities are experiencing a surge in crime and gang activity. I am organizing this Summit on Violence because reducing crime is a community-wide effort. Fighting crime will take more than law enforcement alone. We need jobs for our young people, afterschool programs, parent education, school involvement and much more. I am hopeful that by bringing together political and community leaders, law enforcement officials and residents, we can develop better strategies to reduce violence.”

Mayor Eldridge Hawkins, Jr said, “Community policing is the heart of our work in Orange to fight crime. Community policing means enlisting citizens in law enforcement in many different ways including encouraging citizens to report what they know about criminal activity, organizing block watch programs, cooperation between the police and the Board of Education, and finding productive activities for our youth. The Summit on Violence contributes to community policing by involving elected officials, police, prosecutors, residents and young people in a brainstorming process to strengthen our law enforcement strategies. I applaud Councilman Corbitt for his efforts to create awareness surrounding this issue and remain hopeful that together we can make a difference.”