February 15, 2001
Trenton,
NJ — Just because you may not be wanted on a serious offense doesn’t mean
you are immune from the long arm of the law.
According
to information provided by the Trenton Municipal Court, there are currently 50,000
outstanding warrants in the city of Trenton and $9
million owed to the city in fines. And
thanks to the Central Jersey Fugitive Task Force (CJFTF), 187 warrants have been
cleared and $44,000 in fines has been paid over the course of three days.
Although
the task force’s primary focus is still violent and drug-related fugitives
wanted on state and federal warrants, it is helping the city of Trenton enforce
quality-of-life laws, including landlord regulations, city ordinance violations
and disorderly persons offenses.
Various
databases coupled with a multi-jurisdictional reach allow the task force to
locate quality-of-life offenders who have slipped through the system.
“We
know where these people live, where they work, where they bank, and we are
coming to get them,” stated Detective Cory S. Kammler II of the Mercer County
Prosecutor’s Office.
Violators
are being given the chance to voluntary clear up outstanding warrants and fines
by contacting Trenton’s New Beginnings
program, which is designed to help people resolve outstanding financial
obligation to the Trenton Municipal Court.
“Trenton’s
New Beginnings is an excellent
program,” said Mercer County Prosecutor Daniel G. Giaquinto. “What we are
attempting to do is put some ‘legal punch’ behind it, for those who fail to
take advantage of the opportunity.”
In
order to avoid the embarrassment of being arrested at the home or work place,
citizens with outstanding warrants and fines are urged to contact the New Beginnings program at (609) 989-3700, extension 630 or 632.
Many offenders have come in voluntary, but many arrests have been made as
well.
The
Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, along with the Trenton Police Department,
Trenton Municipal Court, city Department of Housing & Development and city
Department of Health & Human Services, is sending a clear message - that
offenders who are constantly cited with minor violations and fail to appear in
court or pay fines will be dealt with.
“A
fugitive is a fugitive, whether wanted on a major crime or quality-of-life
offenses. Those wanted for minor
violations should be aware that we are actively seeking them,” Giaquinto said.
The task
force is lead by Mercer County Prosecutor Daniel G. Giaquinto and U.S. Marshal
Charles L. McNeil and comprised of members of the Trenton District of the U.S.
Marshals Service, officers of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, the New
Jersey State Police and the Trenton Police Department.