On Wednesday, Camden’s Board of Commissioners, alongside Mayor Victor Carstarphen and representatives from the Center for Family Services, criticized the Trump administration’s decision to cut $3 million in funding from violence intervention programs. The funds supported initiatives like Cure4Camden, which aims to prevent violence and improve public safety in Camden City.
Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr. expressed disappointment over the cuts, stating: “The administration explained that the cuts were made because these funds ‘no longer effectuates Department priorities,’ this is a slap in the face to all of the efforts that have assisted our officers reduce crime in the city. These folks are on the front lines assisting victims of violence and defusing violence before it starts.”
Cure4Camden was established in 2014 with a focus on reducing shootings and addressing conditions contributing to violence. The funding cuts will lead to various impacts, including loss of group sessions, mentorship opportunities, hospital intervention services, employment pathways, school-based interventions, and staff layoffs.
Anna Payanzo Cotton from Center for Family Services highlighted the program’s achievements: “There is an urgent need for investment in violence prevention funding to reinstate Cure4Camden. Over the last decade, the Cure4Camden team walked alongside people whose lives had been devastated by violence and offered trusted support to help them on a path forward.” She urged private investors to fill the funding gap.
Mayor Victor Carstarphen emphasized Camden’s progress in reducing crime: “This city has come such a long way in terms of public safety and reducing violence because of programs like Cure4Camden combined with the community policing model… We refuse to stay silent as this administration tries to hinder all of the progress we have made here in Camden City.”
City Council President Angel Fuentes also spoke against the federal decision: “Cure4Camden has been a pillar to progress since its formation in 2014… The Trump administration is making it clear that they do not value safety in our communities.”
Since May 1, 2013, when Camden County Police Department was formed, crime rates have dropped significantly. In 2024 alone, homicides fell by 43%, violent crimes by 17%, and shootings by 36%. These reductions are attributed partly to community policing models and partnerships with outreach programs like Cure4Camden.
