How a Dangerously Violent N.J. City Had Zero Homicides Last Winter
What to know
- Camden recorded zero homicides during the 2025–26 winter period, marking the first winter without a homicide in 50 years, according to county officials.
- The milestone comes after a decade of reforms, technology investments, de‑escalation training, and community‑centered policing that have contributed to sharp declines in violent crime.
- Officials credit partnerships, social‑services integration, and programs like the Village Initiative and Arrive Together for helping residents access resources, reduce instability, and divert people from crime.
Camden, a city once named among the nation’s most dangerous cities, had no homicides during the winter for the first time in 50 years, county officials said.
Between Dec. 21, 2025, and March 20, there were no homicides recorded in Camden, a statistic that hadn’t been seen since 1970, according to officials.
Since reforming the local police department into a county law enforcement agency in 2014, the city has shown declines in violent crime.
Camden recorded 12 homicides in 2025, the lowest number since 1985, according to the Camden County Police Department’s 2025 Uniform Crime Reporting results.
The city has seen a 100% decrease from the same time last year and a 78% drop in shootings during the same time period, officials said.
County officials tout the success in reducing violent crime in a city once considered among the most dangerous in America as a combination of cutting-edge technology and community policing.
“As a son of this city and having worked my entire law enforcement career in Camden, I’m somewhat astounded at where we find ourselves,” police chief Gabriel Rodriguez said in a statement. “This accomplishment is a benchmark for the agency that could not be accomplished without our community partnerships, engagement and dialogue with our neighbors, and support of our stakeholders.”
The department also launched a drone program to assist with rescues and other incidents, complimenting the city’s network of surveillance systems.
Training for officers has also improved. The Camden County Police Department has placed an emphasis on de-escalation tactics using training simulators that throw officers into a variety of high-pressure situations.
Friday’s announcement builds off the summer of 2025’s success where no homicides were recorded.
“The years of investment in new technology, de-escalation training, and community engagement by our CCPD officers have resulted in a remarkable transformation citywide,” Camden mayor Victor Carstarphen said. “Camden’s streets are safer, and our residents have embraced this new reality.”
For the past five years the Camden County Police Department has instituted the Village Initiative, a collection of partnerships and events designed to provide alternatives to crime and provide essential services to those who need them most.
A social services unit embedded inside the police department has played a pivotal role in reducing crime rates, according to officials.
The program is part of the Arrive Together initiative promoted by the state Attorney General’s office where licensed mental health professionals respond to certain emergency calls to provide assistance.
A few days a week, social service professionals and police officers proactively meet with people in need of assistance and provide help obtaining important personal documents, provide food and health care, and also provide housing assistance.
Officials have credited the program with lifting people out of housing insecurity and providing support to obtain jobs. The county also runs a day-labor program with Volunteers of America Delaware Valley for those suffering homelessness, paying $75 for a day’s worth of work and providing a meal.
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