A joint state and county crack-down on gang activity has resulted in more than 500 arrests since last spring, Burlington County Prosecutor Robert D. Bernardi announced Friday.According to Bernardi, the Gangs, Guns and Narcotics Task Force and the Burlington County Gang Task Force have conducted approximately 100 operations since March. Of the resulting arrests, more then 50 have been street gang members and their associates.

Attorney General Anne Milgram and Burlington County law enforcement officials joined Bernardi at the press conference, which was held at the county courthouse in Mt. Holly to release details and results of an ongoing anti-crime initiative targeting street gang members and violent offenders.

Governor Jon Corzine's "Strategy for Safe Streets and Neighborhoods" was announced late last year. The statewide strategy involves developing intelligence on violent offenders, investigation of those offenders and the prosecution of them once in custody.

"We believe our efforts have produced a substantial disruption in their criminal activity and a reduction in violence associated with these groups," Bernardi said. "Honest citizens should not have to live in fear of lawless thugs who act like its high noon at the OK Corral. The safety of Burlington County residents is now, and always will be, our paramount concern and we will continue to use all law enforcement resources to deter these violent criminals."
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According to Pemberton Police Chief Robert Lewandowski, who attended the press conference, Pemberton Township Police Department had been aiding the county in its efforts despite not having a significant amount of gang related incidents in the Township.

"The problem with gangs is not primarily a Pemberton problem," Lewandowski said. "Our participation with this initiative is to work together with other officers from around the county to come up with ways to deal with the problem of gangs in general."

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