“Cops were there when 4 year old was shot…they said it was fireworks”

Shocking revelations from Asbury Park Village survey on police surveillance

The surprise placement of a large police surveillance tower in the Asbury Park Village complex prompted an informal survey of the community by Help Not Handcuffs, Inc. The data received from polling, revealed that a majority of respondents stated they felt Over-Policed and Less Safe due to its placement there – despite city narratives that the community requested the Surveillance tower.

Most alarmingly, one respondent’s comment indicates that police refused to act (despite being present) when a four-year-old child was shot recently in an adjacent housing complex.

Resident Comments

“Cop was right here when the 4 year old was shot….he said it was fireworks”

“Violated, as soon as I step out of my door; I’m being watched like a criminal”

“Bullied”

(Two respondents expressed this)

“I don’t feel safe at all”

Survey Highlights

Residents responded two to one, that they felt “Over-Policed” and “Less Safe” over respondents who felt “Safer” due to the surveillance tower’s placement.

Residents who felt “Overpoliced” rather than “Safer” increased to a four to one margin among residents who lived in the immediate vicinity of the surveillance tower.

Only one respondent said they were informed of the Surveillance Tower’s placement before its arrival.

Asbury Park Housing Authority Chairman Greg Hopson stated that “The tower was put up as a result of a meeting with the residents of Asbury Park Village, local law enforcement agencies, The residents were informed by the APHA of the meeting….”, yet there is nothing reflected in the recent minutes of the APHA regarding any resident input on this issue.

Asbury Park Mayor Moor stated “The Ciy (SIC) was asked by residents to put it there because of recent problems.”

To poll the Asbury Park Village Community, a one-page questionnaire was developed asking respondents if they were residents, if they lived in proximity to the surveillance tower, if they felt overpoliced, less safe, no difference or safer. The survey also asked if respondents were notified before the surveillance tower’s placement or asked if they wanted it there. Demographic data was collected. Lastly, respondents were given the option to express any opinion not in the survey options.

Every respondent who elected to comment offered a condemning view of City’s Policing Policies in the Asbury Park Village. All of the respondents were black and split nearly evenly, identifying as male and female from ages 18 – 55.

There is often a heavy police presence focused on this small Westside housing complex where the residents are predominantly black. Asbury Park Village is a low-income affordable housing complex of 126 units with approximately 223 residents in The City of Asbury Park which has a population of 15,000.

The abrupt removal of the surveillance tower coincided with a planned march protesting the police killing of city resident Hasani Best by Asbury Park Police Sergeant Sean DeShader. The surveillance tower seems to have re-appeared at the Asbury Park Police Department where the march was to end, underpinning the perception that it is deployed for over-policing of targeted populations within the city, not for for public safety.