Camden Battles Crime And Poverty In Effort To Re-Vitalize Community

CAMDEN, NJ - AUGUST 22: Officer Adam Fulmore, of the Camden County Police Department, goes on a foot patrol on August 22, 2013 in the Parkside neighborhood of Camden, New Jersey. The town of Camden, which was once a large industrial town but watched it's population dwindle as manufacturing left, has been marred with societal problems including high unemployment, crime, murder and heavy drug trafficking for decades. The Camden County Police Department was officially created in May, 2013, after the unionized Camden Police department was disbanded. The overhaul, which was supported by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, has been considered unprecendented and has been closely watched around the country. The new force currently has approximately 280 members, and will reach full size by December, with 400 members. Early signs suggest the overhaul has been effective - The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this month that Camden murder rates fell 29% from May, 2013 to July 2013, compared to the same period last year. Absentee rates of the CCPD is also lower: approximately 5% of officers have been reported absent so far, compared to approxmiately 30% of the Camden Police Department prior to the change in command. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)