CAMDEN COUNTY OVERVIEW
Vivian Coley Executive Officer to the Chief of Police – Camden County Police Department Transparency is one of the five pillars of unity policing. I’ve been tasked with not only running the youth initiative but also the training related to domestic violence, missing persons and any policy procedure questions. I’ve been tasked with educating our community to ensure they understand our policies and procedures. We have a new learning center that’s being developed right now. We also have a new website that was developed, which includes information on how to become a police officer, information about the recruitment of new officers and information for folks interested in taking a tour.
County Cornerstones: 1 East Camden Matrix facility Touted as a project to watch for in 2021, the East Camden Matrix facility is expected to be a key logistics and distribution facility with the potential to bring a few hundred jobs to East Camden in a concentrated effort to continue to revitalize the Admiral Wilson Corridor. Matrix Development, a Middlesex Countybased developer, is spearheading the vision for the $20 million project spanning approximately 30 acres. This will be the newest facility in a part of the county that has previously seen investments by companies such as ResinTech Inc. and Subaru Inc. The pandemic-driven rise of e-commerce and continued demand for last-mile distribution centers makes Camden County a strategic location for logistics and distribution centers. 2 Public Safety Beleaguered by high crime rates in the 2010s, Camden County has been keen on establishing an equitable, service-driven policing culture during a time that saw nationwide calls for police reform. As such, the Camden County Police Department finished 2020 with reductions in homicides, shootings and overall crime. There were more than 500 fewer crime victims in the city of Camden in 2020 compared to 2019 and approximately 1,700 fewer crime victims compared to 2014. Total crimes fell to under 3,000 in Camden for the first time in more than 50 years. Several department changes ushered in this decisive win for the county’s public safety efforts, namely a keen focus on community 82
| Invest: South Jersey 2021 | CAMDEN COUNTY
policing. De-escalation techniques, focus on verbal commands rather than excessive force, foot patrolling and checking in with local businesses have been some of the guiding tenets driving the policing culture in the county. Connecting with local youth using social media has also been a successful, innovative way to facilitate interaction. To date, the police department’s TikTok page has amassed more than 4 million views. Overall, the department has been praised nationwide for its handling of the George Floyd protests and its efforts to drive crime down to historic levels. 3 Education It is no secret that Camden County’s eds and meds sectors are pillars of the local economy. With a robust public education system and world-class higher education offerings, Camden County has many opportunities for families and students looking to further their education. Approximately 76,000 K-12 students attend one of the county’s 36 school districts, two non-operating school districts, one Educational Services Commission and 13 charter/renaissance schools. Higher education offerings are anchored by Camden County College, Strayer University, Rowan University and Rutgers University-Camden. Committed to providing the highest-level educational experience to all students, these three institutions are an integral part of the local community and key players in the different economic development strategies, especially related to healthcare and life sciences.
