Shocked out of my complacency

A disturbing report in today's Record suggests that it's time for some self-flagellation, or at least serious reflection. While we sit in front of our computers sparring over zoning plans or the best place to put a coffee shop, we are apparently overlooking a festering issue that threatens our community, our property, and even our lives far more than any ordinance in the Council chamber or change to a business district ever could.

Where have I been all this time? I admit that, stunned as I was by the incident, I wrote off the tragic shooting of Ricky Smith last year as an isolated occurrence, an unfortunate but rather improbable sequence of events not likely to be repeated. I admit that I viewed initiatives such as Teaneck Comes Together as well-intentioned but ultimately unnecessary in a solidly middle class suburb such as Teaneck. I admit that I found it a bit ridiculous to introduce anti-gang programs into schools in which the vast majority of students are college bound kids from stable homes with healthy incomes. This is not Bed-Stuy or even Hackensack, I thought, this is Teaneck.

Shameful as it is, I have to acknowledge that the turning point came this morning. The arrests of seven gang members on Cedar Lane near Chadwick Road for possession of a loaded weapon who forced me to open my eyes- Cedar Lane near Chadwick Road! Yards from the Municipal Complex, mere feet from luxurious private homes and peaceful St. Mark's...

Now I am forced to admit what we can no longer deny. The streets of our Township are playing host to horrifying gang violence and it is not going away on its own. Stopping it must become priority number one for Teaneck residents and officials. That's right, priority number one. Nobody ran on a platform of making Teaneck's streets safer and rooting out gangs; anyone who would have would have been laughed out of town for doing so. However, our leaders have to to stand up now and take up this issue forcefully because if law and order and public safety are compromised, everything else is meaningless.

The TPD should be commended for its excellent work in limiting the damage on Tuesday, but the job is far from done. Teaneck must be free of all gang activity. Public safety officials should study the problem carefully, putting egos aside and drawing on outside resources with the necessary expertise and experience when appropriate, to tell us exactly what they need to make sure we do not have to fear this anymore. And we ought to be ready to consider their requests carefully and do all we can to equip our officers to blot this out of Teaneck for good, even if it means putting other longstanding priorities aside.

Encouraging postscript: The Record reports that the TPD has assigned two more officers to the gang suppression effort and quotes Chief Tiernan as saying "We're hoping to sit down with the council soon and discuss what resources we need to get a better grip on things." Mayor Katz is also quoted stating his determination not to overlook this problem. This is exactly what we needed to hear.