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==Government and services== {{Main|Government of Camden, New Jersey}} {{Further information|Political corruption in Camden, New Jersey|Mayors of Camden, New Jersey}} Since July 1, 1961, the city has operated within the [[Faulkner Act]], formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under a [[Faulkner Act (mayor–council)|Mayor-Council]] form of government.<ref name="DataBook">''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', [[Rutgers University]] [[Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy]], March 2013, p. 28.</ref><ref name=":5">[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=10 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"], p. 10. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> Since 1994, the city has been divided into four [[Ward (United States)|council districts]], with a single council member elected from each of the four districts and three council members being elected at-large; previously, the entire council was elected at-large.[[File:Camden city hall.jpg|thumb|[[Camden City Hall|Camden's City Hall]] opened in 1931.]] {{As of|2024}}, the Mayor of Camden is Democrat Victor Carstarphen, whose term of office ends December 31, 2025.<ref name="Mayor">[https://www.ci.camden.nj.us/office-of-the-mayor/ Office of the Mayor], City of Camden. Accessed June 2, 2024.</ref> Members of the City Council are Council President [[Angel Fuentes]] (D, 2025; at large), Vice President Sheila Davis (D, 2025; at large), Arthur Barclay (D, 2027; Ward 1), Christopher R. Collins (D, 2027; Ward 2), Falio Leyba-Martinez (D, 2027; Ward 3), Jannette Ramos (D, 2027; Ward 4) and Noemi G. Soria-Perez (D, 2025; at large).<ref>[https://www.ci.camden.nj.us/council-members/ Council Members], City of Camden. Accessed June 2, 2024.</ref><ref>[https://www.ci.camden.nj.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024-Camden-City-Budget-Introduction.pdf 2024 Municipal Data Sheet], City of Camden. Accessed June 2, 2024.</ref><ref name="Camden2023">[https://www.camdencounty.com/wp-content/elections/general2023/2023_General_Election_Canvasser.pdf Official Election Results 2023 General Election November 7, 2023], [[Camden County, New Jersey]], updated November 22, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.</ref><ref name="Camden2021">[https://www.camdencounty.com/wp-content/elections/general2021/2021-General-Election-Canvasser.pdf 2021 General Election November 2, 2021 Official Election Results], [[Camden County, New Jersey]], update November 15, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref> It was home to the Norcross brothers, three brothers who have dominated Southern Jersey democratic politics for the past 25 years, until legal troubles in 2024 led them to take a backseat. The city has had its struggles with corruption throughout its political history. Three Camden mayors have been jailed for corruption: [[Angelo Errichetti]], Arnold Webster, and [[Milton Milan]].<ref name=":3">[[Chris Hedges|Hedges, Chris]]. [http://www.utne.com/politics/city-of-ruins-camden-new-jersey.aspx " City of RuinsWalt Whitman's hometown is a Dickensian nightmare—and a warning for the rest of America"], ''[[Utne Reader]]'', March–April 2011. Accessed July 29, 2014. "Corruption is rampant, with three mayors convicted of felonies in a little more than two decades."</ref> ===Federal, state and county representation=== Camden is located in [[New Jersey's 1st congressional district|New Jersey's 1st Congressional District]]<ref name="PCR2012">[https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/2012-congressional-districts/njcd-2011-plan-components-county-mcd.pdf Plan Components Report], [[New Jersey Redistricting Commission]], December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref> and is part of [[New Jersey's 5th legislative district|New Jersey's 5th state legislative district]].<ref name="Districts2011">[https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/2011-legislative-districts/towns-districts.pdf Municipalities Sorted by 2011–2020 Legislative District], [[New Jersey Department of State]]. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref><ref name="LWV2019">[https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/5bae63366fd2b2e5b9f87e5e/5d30f0a94a82c66427e564d2_2019_CitizensGuide.pdf ''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''], New Jersey [[League of Women Voters]]. Accessed October 30, 2019.</ref><ref>[https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/districtnumbers.asp#5 Districts by Number for 2011–2020], [[New Jersey Legislature]]. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref> {{NJ Senate}} {{NJ Camden County Freeholders}} ===Politics=== Camden has historically been a stronghold of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]]. As of November 6, 2018, there were 42,264 registered voters in the city of Camden.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2018 General Election Ballots Cast in Camden |url=https://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2018/2018-general-election-ballotscast-results-camden-1220.pdf}}</ref> As of March 23, 2011, there were 43,893 registered voters in Camden, of which 17,403 (39.6%) were registered as [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], 885 (2.0%) were registered as [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] and 25,601 (58.3%) were registered as [[Unaffiliated (New Jersey)|Unaffiliated]].<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2011-camden-co-summary-report.pdf Voter Registration Summary – Camden], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed October 15, 2012.</ref> All [[Mayors of Camden, New Jersey|Camden mayors]] since 1935 have been Democrats. The last Republican Camden mayor was Frederick von Nieda, who only sat in office for a year.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Camden People – FREDERICK VON NIEDA |url=http://www.dvrbs.com/people/CamdenPeople-FrederickVonNieda.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190301081953/http://www.dvrbs.com/people/CamdenPeople-FrederickVonNieda.htm |archive-date=March 1, 2019 |access-date=April 14, 2019 |website=dvrbs.com}}</ref> During his second term, Obama visited Camden in 2015 and said that "Hold you up as a symbol of promise for the nation. This city is on to something, no one is suggesting that the job is done," the president said. "It's still a work in progress."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Salant |first=Jonathan D. |date=May 18, 2015 |title=Obama calls Camden a 'symbol of promise for the nation' |url=https://www.nj.com/politics/2015/05/obama_tells_camden.html |access-date=May 7, 2019 |website=The Star-Ledger}}</ref> In the [[2012 United States presidential election|2012 presidential election]], Democrat [[Barack Obama]] was seeking reelection and was challenged by [[Mitt Romney]]. The city overwhelmingly voted for Obama in the biggest Democratic landslide in Camden's history. In the [[2016 United States presidential election|2016 presidential election]], Democrat [[Hillary Clinton]] received overwhelming support from the city of Camden. On May 11, 2016, Clinton held a rally at [[Camden County College]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Caffrey |first=Michelle |date=May 12, 2016 |title=Camden success story shines on stage at Hillary Clinton's N.J. rally |url=https://www.nj.com/camden/2016/05/camden_success_story_shines_on_stage_at_hillary_cl.html |access-date=April 14, 2019 |website=The Star-Ledger}}</ref> In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 96.8% of the vote (22,254 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 3.0% (683 votes), and other candidates with 0.2% (57 votes), among the 23,230 ballots cast by the city's 47,624 registered voters (236 ballots were [[Spoilt vote|spoiled]]), for a turnout of 48.8%.<ref name="2012Elections">{{cite web |date=March 15, 2013 |title=Presidential General Election Results – November 6, 2012 – Camden County |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-presidential-camden.pdf |access-date=December 24, 2014 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections}}</ref><ref name="2012VoterReg">{{cite web |date=March 15, 2013 |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast – November 6, 2012 – General Election Results – Camden County |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-ballotscast-camden.pdf |access-date=December 24, 2014 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections}}</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 91.1% of the vote (22,197 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain, who received around 5.0% (1,213 votes), with 24,374 ballots cast among the city's 46,654 registered voters, for a turnout of 52.2%.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2008-gen-elect-presidential-results-camden.pdf 2008 Presidential General Election Results: Camden County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed October 15, 2012.</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004|2004 presidential election]], Democrat [[John Kerry]] received 84.4% of the vote (15,914 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush, who received around 12.6% (2,368 votes), with 18,858 ballots cast among the city's 37,765 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 49.9.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2004-presidential_camden_co_2004.pdf 2004 Presidential Election: Camden County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed October 15, 2012.</ref> In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2013|2013 gubernatorial election]], Democrat [[Barbara Buono]] received 79.9% of the vote (6,680 cast), ahead of Republican [[Chris Christie]] with 18.8% (1,569 votes), and other candidates with 1.4% (116 votes), among the 9,796 ballots cast by the city's 48,241 registered voters (1,431 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 20.3%.<ref name="2013Elections">{{cite web |date=January 29, 2014 |title=Governor – Camden County |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-results-governor-camden.pdf |access-date=December 24, 2014 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections}}</ref><ref name="2013VoterReg">{{cite web |date=January 29, 2014 |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast – November 5, 2013 – General Election Results – Camden County |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-ballotscast-camden.pdf |access-date=December 24, 2014 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections}}</ref> In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2009|2009 gubernatorial election]], Democrat [[Jon Corzine]] received 85.6% of the vote (8,700 ballots cast), ahead of both Republican [[Chris Christie]] with 5.9% (604 votes) and Independent [[Chris Daggett]] with 0.8% (81 votes), with 10,166 ballots cast among the city's 43,165 registered voters, yielding a 23.6% turnout.<ref>[http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-camden.pdf 2009 Governor: Camden County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017225410/http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-camden.pdf|date=October 17, 2012}}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed October 15, 2012.</ref> {{PresHead|place=Camden|source=<ref>{{Cite web |title=NJ DOS - Division of Elections - Election Results Archive |url=https://nj.gov/state/elections/election-information-results.shtml |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=nj.gov}}</ref>}} <!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} --> {{PresRow|2024|Democratic|2,803|13,462|144|New Jersey}} {{PresRow|2020|Democratic|1,994|17,617|93|New Jersey}} {{PresRow|2016|Democratic|838|19,654|235|New Jersey}} {{PresRow|2012|Democratic|683|22,254|57|New Jersey}} {{PresRow|2008|Democratic|1,213|22,197|116|New Jersey}} {{PresRow|2004|Democratic|2,368|15,914|97|New Jersey}} |} === Camden Fire Department (CFD) === [[File:Camden NJ Fire Administration Building.jpg|alt=A fire department in Camden, NJ|thumb|The Fire Administration Building on N 3rd Street in Camden, NJ]] [[File:Fire Truck at Fire Administration Building.jpg|alt=One of the fire engines in the garage at N 3rd St Fire Administration Building.|thumb|Fire Engine at N 3rd St. Fire Administration Building.]] Officially organized in 1869, the [[Camden Fire Department|Camden Fire Department (CFD)]] is the oldest paid fire department in New Jersey and is among the oldest paid fire departments in the United States.<ref>[https://www.ci.camden.nj.us/fire-department/ Fire Department], City of Camden. Accessed September 12, 2019.</ref><ref>[http://www.ci.camden.nj.us/departments/fire-support.html Bureau of Emergency Services Citywide Tour Command] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105002854/http://www.ci.camden.nj.us/departments/fire-support.html|date=November 5, 2012}}, City of Camden. Accessed July 3, 2011.</ref><ref>[https://camdenhistory.com/historical-accounts/inception-of-the-first-paid-fire-department-in-the-us Inception of the First Paid Fire Department in the U.S. ''Inception of the First Paid Fire Department in the U.S.''], Camdenhistory.com. Accessed April 27, 2024.</ref> The Camden Fire Department currently operates out of five fire stations, organized into two battalions. Each battalion is commanded by a battalion chief, who in turn reports to a deputy chief. The CFD currently operates five engine companies, one squad (rescue-pumper), three ladder companies, and one rescue company, as well as several other special, support, and reserve units. The department's fireboat is docked on the Delaware River. Since 2010, the Camden Fire Department has suffered severe economic cutbacks, including company closures and staffing cuts.<ref>Katz, Matt; and Simin, Darran. {{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20120709222619/http://articles.philly.com/2010-10-08/news/24980315_1_layoff-plan-liquor-license-fees-police-officers "Camden's worst-case budget scenario calls for 350-plus layoffs"]}}, ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]'', October 8, 2010. Accessed July 3, 2011. "Camden will lay off more than 150 police officers, 77 firefighters, and about 150 other employees unless the mayor can wrest concessions in union contracts in the coming days, according to union officials and employees. The cuts, described as the worst-case scenario, would amount to more than a third of the city's unionized workforce."</ref> === Camden County Police Department (CCPD) === {{Main|Camden County Police Department}} {{Further|Crime in Camden, New Jersey}} On May 1, 2013, [[Camden Police Department (defunct)|Camden Police Department]] was disbanded due to a union contract that made it financially impossible to keep officers on the street. The [[Camden County Police Department]] was formed to succeed the Camden Police Department. Camden County's Police Department brought in 25 new officers to train in neighborhoods in hopes they could regain the trust of local communities.<ref name=":02">{{Cite news |last=Zernike |first=Kate |date=September 28, 2012 |title=Overrun by Crime, Camden Trades in Its Police Force |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/29/nyregion/overrun-by-crime-camden-trades-in-its-police-force.html |access-date=April 10, 2019 |work=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Because of the reorganized force in 2013, the number of cops in the streets has increased, and spread throughout Camden. Camden's new police force began patrolling in tandem, speaking with residents, and driving patrol cars.<ref name=":32">{{Cite web |date=May 21, 2014 |title=Why Camden, N.J., the Murder Capital of the Country, Disbanded Its Police Force |url=https://www.governing.com/topics/public-justice-safety/gov-camden-disbands-police-force-for-new-department.html |access-date=May 9, 2019 |website=governing.com}}</ref> A ''CNN'' report proposed that Camden might be a national model for what [[Police abolition movement|police abolition]] or "[[defund the police|defunding the police]]" could look like.<ref name=":37">{{cite web |last=Andrew |first=Scottie |date=June 9, 2020 |title=This city disbanded its police department 7 years ago. Here's what happened next |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/09/us/disband-police-camden-new-jersey-trnd/index.html |access-date=June 14, 2020 |work=CNN}}</ref>
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