Afternoon and evening roll calls for Newark police are now being held on the streets in high-crime neighborhoods instead of in precinct houses.
The latest tactic to fight a feared summertime spike in violent crime floods several square blocks of the city with dozens of cops every night, and rotates to another neighborhood the next night.
Ansara Naylor, 47, said Wednesday night she would be more wary if the police weren't in her area.
"I wouldn't have my kids down here," Naylor said.
Flexibility appears to be the key.
The roll call was moved twice Wednesday night, ending up at a location where police had received a tip that there might be a shooting.
In addition to foot patrols, mounted officers rode their horses while other cops rode motorcycles.
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Police admit that when they leave at the end of the shift, drug dealers come out again to sell their wares.
In a nearby neighborhood that got a community roll call a few weeks ago, there were mixed reviews.
"The bad guys are back outside," Ashley Cooper said.
But John McCleary felt the neighborhood was safer.
"Looks like they cleaned it up," he said.
The proof will come by the end of summer, when Newark compares this year's numbers to the 35 murders it suffered last year.
Follow Brian Thompson on Twitter @brian4NY
