Edison, NJ – Residents in Edison are utilizing lawn signs to raise awareness about rising crime rates in their neighborhoods. The community organization, Democrats Putting Neighborhoods 1st, is providing these signs which highlight a reported 70% increase in overall crime since 2021.
Data from the New Jersey State Police Uniform Crime Reporting Unit indicates notable increases in both overall crime and several key crime categories in Edison between 2021 and 2023, numbers for 2024 are not yet publicly available:
- Robberies: Increased by 82.76%
- Assaults: Increased by 56.25%
- Burglaries: Increased by 52.72%
- Total Offenses: Increased by 70.52%
At Monday nights council meeting Captain Bill Revill tried to dismiss the relevance of the New Jersey State Police Uniform Crime Reporting Unit’s published UCR crime statistics, highlighting their reliance on data from 2021, 2022, and 2023, the most recent available published reports. He argued that the 2023 figures were skewed, representing an outlier year significantly impacted by the pandemic. While asserting that preliminary 2025 statistics indicated a downturn in crime, he failed to provide any supporting data or documentation to substantiate his claim.
Furthermore, Captain Revill notably avoided addressing the critical issue of staffing levels, specifically the fact that only eight officers were working per shift during the recent home invasions. These staffing levels are a point of contention, particularly given that Democratic Chairman and former Mayor Tom Lankey had made an increased police presence a focal point of his winning campaign and throughout his term that ended in 2021. The flier below was mailed township wide by Lankey during his 2013 mayoral campaign. Staffing levels are currently the same and Mayor Joshi eliminated the hiring and promotional processes established by Lankey during his term as mayor.
The residents’ anxieties are further fueled by recent incidents, such as a home invasion in March, where three suspects smashed in the front door and entered a residence in the middle of the night. A resident of the home described the terrifying ordeal, stating, “It’s very difficult for me to watch and to relive. My stomach turns every time. They came in with no fear.”
Anthony Russomano reports a flood of requests for the warning signs, indicating widespread dissatisfaction with the current state of public safety. “We have fielded dozens of requests for signs from residents that are fed up with the public safety crisis,” he said. “We will be offering this service until the township really addresses the issue.”
The township’s efforts to address the crime surge have also come under scrutiny. The deployment of inflatable dummies in stationary police vehicles has been criticized as an ineffective measure. “It’s smoke and mirrors,” Russomano explained. “Instead of a real police presence, Edison residents are paying for inflatable cops in police cars that haven’t been moved in months.”
Beyond immediate safety concerns, residents are worried about the long-term implications of the rising crime rate, particularly its potential impact on property values. “People moved to Edison because it was safe. But now, almost everyday there is a story, in the news or social media, of another burglary, home invasion or automobile theft,” Russomano remarked, highlighting the growing sense of insecurity within the community.
The signs are being provided free of charge to help raise awareness of the rising crime trend in Edison according to organizers who can be contacted arussom819@aol.com for their free sign. Mayor Joshi and Bob Diehl have not responded to multiple request for comment.
