Paterson gets $700,000 to build crime gun intelligence center
By Jonathan Greene
Published: December 6, 2021
The city is getting a $700,000 grant from the federal government to establish a crime gun intelligence center, announced Rep. Bill Pascrell on Friday.
Funds from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Local Law Enforcement Crime Gun Intelligence Center Integration Initiative will allow Paterson police to utilize state-of-the-art technology to locate crime guns and their sources to effectively go after the perpetrators.
“Big cities like Paterson have been the epicenter of America’s gun violence epidemic. With this grant, Paterson PD will have new tools and technology to swiftly identify guns used for criminal purposes and prosecute those who put our community in harm’s way,” Pascrell said.
“This grant will enable us to be ahead of the criminals,” said public safety director Jerry Speziale. “The Crime Gun Intelligence Center will provide essential information, which will help us prevent gun violence in our city while sharing information and working with our partners.”
Paterson has witnessed a surge in gun violence and killings over the past year.
“This is announcement couldn’t come at a more fortuitous time. Like many cities across the country, we are combating a spike in gun violence but our police need additional resources. This grant gives us the tools and technology necessary to bring violent criminals to justice,” mayor Andre Sayegh said.