New Jersey broke records for the lowest number of shootings and gun deaths in 2025, citing coordinated policing, data-driven strategies, and stricter laws as drivers of the improvements, Gov. Phil Murphy and other officials said during a press conference in East Rutherford on Tuesday, Jan. 6.
Held at the East Rutherford Police Department, the governor released the data with Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, and New Jersey State Police Acting Superintendent Dave Sierotowicz. State, county, and local officials were in attendance, along with other law enforcement stakeholders.
State officials said the location was deliberate: East Rutherford hosts the New Jersey State Police’s CorrStat meetings. At these monthly discussions, intelligence from the State Police’s Regional Operations Intelligence Center (ROIC) is shared in real time with federal, state, county, and local law enforcement agencies. The sessions help identify emerging crime patterns, deploy resources more efficiently, and coordinate enforcement across jurisdictional lines.
Four Consecutive Years
In 2025, New Jersey recorded 559 shooting victims, a 28% drop from 2024 and the lowest total since statewide tracking began in 2009. Of those victims, 107 were killed — a 31% decrease from the prior year. Shooting injuries and shooting deaths have now declined for four consecutive years, officials said.
The number of people killed by gunfire is down more than 60% from its peak in 2016, when 273 fatalities were recorded. Nearly every major city saw declines, including drops of more than 50% in Atlantic City and Paterson, and reductions ranging from roughly 23% to 31% in Camden, Newark, and Trenton.
Auto thefts dropped 9% from 2024, with 13,693 vehicles stolen statewide in 2025, according to State Police data.
Coordinated Efforts and Partnerships
Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco said the results reinforce the county’s reputation as one of the safest in the nation and praised partnerships between state and local officials.
Murphy said the sustained declines reflect years of investment in public safety and coordination among agencies and communities. While acknowledging the progress, he said the state remains focused on victims and continued prevention.
“This progress reflects the strong leadership of the Office of the Attorney General, New Jersey State Police, dedicated law enforcement professionals, and community partners working together across our state. Since 2018, we have reduced crime, protected communities, and saved lives. As we recognize these accomplishments, we are also proud to have established the tools, practices, and initiatives that will support continued success in the years ahead. Even as we acknowledge this progress, we remain mindful of the victims of violence and their loved ones, as the work continues to make New Jersey safer for all,” the governor said in a statement.
Way said residents are seeing the results of long-term efforts by the governor’s office, Legislature, law enforcement, and community partners, calling the trends evidence that the state’s public safety tools are working.
“Consistent progress like this is only possible because of the outstanding collaboration among all of our law enforcement partners,” said AG Platkin. “We have taken new and strategic approaches to public safety, and they have yielded positive results in making our residents safer. Whether through community-based violence intervention programs or the continuing development of the ARRIVE Together initiative, we are making a difference. We are handing over to the incoming administration positive, established trends, and I know this important work will continue.”
Sierotowicz credited intelligence-led policing and targeted deployment of resources, saying coordinated efforts and data analysis are producing “measurable reductions in crime.”
Tapping Tech, Sharing Intel, Stricter Laws
State officials said technology and intelligence-sharing play a growing role in crime reduction, particularly through the Attorney General’s Gun Violence Reduction Task Force, a statewide network connecting law enforcement and prosecutors across all 21 counties. The task force focuses resources on the drivers of violence, officials said.
The state also cited policy changes under Murphy, including stricter laws targeting ghost guns, large-capacity magazines, and gun trafficking, as well as civil accountability efforts led by the Attorney General’s SAFE Office.
Auto theft reductions were attributed in part to the State Police-led Auto Theft Task Force, which coordinates investigations across jurisdictions, recovers stolen vehicles, and targets organized theft rings. Officials said dozens of vehicles worth millions of dollars were recovered, and prosecutions were pursued to deter repeat offenders.
In addition, legislation enacted in 2023 strengthened penalties for repeat auto theft offenders and large-scale trafficking networks, with state officials working alongside local prosecutors to enforce the changes.
NJ Sets National Example
New Jersey’s public safety initiatives have drawn national attention, officials said. The ARRIVE Together program has expanded statewide and logged more than 15,000 interactions since its launch in 2021. Community-based violence intervention programs reached nearly 98,000 people during the first three quarters of 2025, according to the state.
Murphy’s administration has invested more than $150 million in violence intervention and trauma recovery programs, with funding for ARRIVE nearing $20 million in the fiscal 2026 budget.
East Rutherford’s Role in NJ’s Crime Strategy
East Rutherford sits at the center of New Jersey’s most data-driven public safety operations, making it a strategic location for statewide crime coordination. It is a role that carries outsized importance for the Meadowlands region’s event-driven and logistics-heavy economy.
Aside from businesses of all sizes and major universities calling the Meadowlands home, the region also has major sports teams, hosts the biggest names in entertainment, and is a tourism destination. Plus the area is a critical logistics hub. All of this adds up to making that coordination especially critical. Large crowds, regional transportation networks, and a high volume of visitors require constant information-sharing to prevent and respond to crime quickly.
East Rutherford’s role as a CorrStat hub also reflects how the Meadowlands functions as a testing ground for statewide strategies. Policing approaches refined here — from intelligence-led deployments to cross-agency collaboration — often inform tactics used across New Jersey’s 21 counties.
State officials said in a statement that holding the briefing in East Rutherford underscores the borough’s importance not only to local safety, but to the broader infrastructure that has helped drive statewide declines in shootings and auto thefts.
The borough hosts the New Jersey State Police’s monthly CorrStat meetings, where intelligence from the State Police’s Regional Operations Intelligence Center (ROIC) is shared with federal, state, county, and local law enforcement agencies. Those sessions allow authorities to spot emerging crime trends, deploy resources strategically, and coordinate enforcement across municipal boundaries.
For the Meadowlands, where major sports and entertainment events draw tens of thousands of visitors, that coordination is critical. Game days, concerts, conventions, and large-scale events rely on seamless collaboration between state and local agencies to manage crowds, traffic flow, and public safety.
The region’s dense network of hotels, restaurants, retail centers, and office parks also depends on rapid information-sharing to protect guests, workers, and property. At the same time, the Meadowlands’ role as a transportation and logistics hub — with major highways, warehousing, and freight activity — makes intelligence-led policing essential to deterring auto theft, organized crime, and cross-county criminal activity.
East Rutherford’s position as a CorrStat hub reflects how the Meadowlands often serves as a proving ground for statewide strategies. Policing models refined here — from coordinated deployments to technology-assisted analysis — are later applied across New Jersey’s 21 counties.
State officials say holding the briefing in East Rutherford underscores the borough’s importance not only to local safety, but to the systems that support economic activity, tourism, and regional mobility throughout New Jersey.
By the Numbers: What the Crime Drop Means for the Meadowlands
559
Total shooting victims statewide in 2025 — the lowest level since tracking began in 2009, helping support safer large-scale events and tourism corridors.
28%
Drop in shooting victims from 2024 to 2025, marking four consecutive years of decline.
107
Gun-related fatalities statewide in 2025 — a 31% decrease year over year.
60%+
Decline in gun deaths since the 2016 peak, reinforcing New Jersey’s reputation as one of the safest states for major venues and visitors.
13,693
Motor vehicles stolen statewide in 2025, a 9% decrease from 2024 — a key indicator for the Meadowlands’ hotels, parking facilities, logistics centers, and commuter traffic.
Dozens
Stolen vehicles recovered by the State Police–led Auto Theft Task Force, valued at millions of dollars, helping protect commercial fleets and visitor vehicles.
15,000+
ARRIVE Together responses statewide since 2021, improving outcomes during mental-health-related calls that can occur at transit hubs, public venues, and dense commercial areas.
97,600+
Community members reached through violence intervention programs in the first three quarters of 2025, supporting workforce stability in hospitality, retail, and service industries.
For More Information
See the full report here. The press conference presentation is here.
