Housing Authority Residents Share Grief With Chief

Police Chief Anthony Falco answered Hoboken Housing Authority residents' questions and concerns during a meet and greet Monday evening. 

Roughly 60 residents attended the meeting, firing questions and anecdotes at the chief. One woman was ready to report a drug dealer. 

"The residents speaking up, that's like a 'Hallelujah!'" said Carmelo Garcia, executive director of the Hoboken Housing Authority.

Some residents complained about the police's slow response. Other residents said that when they call, police officers ask them to go back out and see what is exactly going on, instead of making their way over to the Housing Authority right away.

Fourth Ward Councilman Michael Lenz was there also and echoed some of the residents' concerns, but said that he had not had any bad experiences when calling the Hoboken police himself.

Since Dec. 1 there have been 171 arrests in the area around the Hoboken Housing Authority buildings, said Sgt. Ken Ferrante. Most of the people arrested were trespassers. In December there were 64 arrests, 54 in January, 40 in February (of which 20 were wanted people with outstanding warrants) and there have been 13 arrests so far in March, said Ferrante.

"Every arrest takes two to three hours," Ferrante said. "Please give the chief a chance."

If a police officer doesn't treat you with respect or seems not to be doing his job properly, Falco said, get his badge number and report it to the police department.

"If I don't get feedback, I don't know what's going on," Falco said. 

Falco pledged to the residents that he would improve their safety. But, in order to do that, he said, he needs the residents to keep their eyes and ears open.

Falco said also that he wants to work on improving the tainted relationship between the Housing Authority and the police department. 

"I have to gain your trust," Falco told the room of residents. "Dialogue will get us there, action and result will get us there."

The plan is to keep holding these type of meetings on a regular basis.

"Seeing how this was so much fun," Falco said, "why don't we do this again next month?"

If you want to call the police with an anonymous tip, call (201) 217 3433. You can reach the chief by calling (201) 420 2002. The Hoboken Housing Authority is holding its regular, montly meeting on Thursday at 6 p.m.