Despite three casino closures in a matter of weeks, Atlantic City's mayor isn't too concerned with a potential spike in crime locally.

Atlantic City Police
Spencer Platt, Getty Images
loading...

Mayor Don Guardian said the first priority is getting the newly-unemployed back on their fee, which is key to keeping them off the street.

"We've got to make sure that we provide the utilities, the heat, the food, to keep people going as we try to find them jobs," Guardian said.

A one-stop resource center runs through Wednesday for workers affected by the closures of Showboat and Revel. A similar event will be held next week after Trump Plaza closes Sept. 16.

The city is down 30 police officers due to budget constraints, but Guardian said the force is benefiting from major equipment upgrades, including body cameras and ShotSpotter, a technology that can recognize the sound of a bullet within seconds.

Guardian said his city's new police chief, Henry White, has introduced a new philosophy on fighting crime, and there's been plenty of progress so far.

"You're not just sending out cars. You're not just patrolling and responding to 911," Guardian said. "You're actually analyzing what's going on in the city real-time, and you're redeploying your workforce. You're actually preventing crime."

The mayor cited a 41 percent drop in the number of Atlantic City crimes since January.

More From New Jersey 101.5 FM