During Hoboken Park Attack, Cops Were Handling A Different Assault, They Say

HOBOKEN, NJ — During a public safety meeting on Monday, Hoboken Police Chief Steven Aguiar addressed the Oct. 31 assaults in Church Square Park, noting that police were not immediately on site because they were dealing with another assault nearby.

This week, details of that second incident were made public.

According to police, on Oct. 31 around 12:20 p.m. — approximately 10 minutes before the incident at Church Square Park — Police Officer Alexander Miller responded to the area of Second and River Streets to meet with the victim of an assault.

The man told police that he had been on the 200 block of Washington Street when another man yelled at him, followed him, and hit him in the back of the head for no apparent reason, police said.

Other detectives and officers were walking in the area and identified Lamar Woodward, 41, of Hoboken, as a suspect, police said.

A short time later, two other police spotted Woodward near the intersection of Third and Madison Streets. They placed him under arrest for simple assault and he was taken to Hoboken Police Headquarters, police said.

Police said they found that Woodward had two other warrants from Hoboken. He was processed and taken to the the Hudson County Correctional Facility, police said.

Council Members, Community Respond

After the public safety meeting on Monday, at which Mayor Ravi Bhalla and other officials spoke, three council members suggested additional improvements to the city's public safety response. (See Mayor Ravi Bhalla and other officials' comments at the meeting here.)

Council members Ruben Ramos Jr., Paul Presinzano, and Tiffanie Fisher, who have sometimes been critical of Mayor Bhalla, sent a release Wednesday with these suggestions:

• Immediate Safety Measures for Church Square Park: Redirect police resources to increase community policing and foot patrols, greater enforcement of existing public safety regulations, and immediately install temporary security cameras.

• Increased Community Policing for Public Spaces: Expand citywide foot patrols by recruiting additional police officers, install permanent cameras in all high-traffic public spaces, and improve lighting in all parks to enhance safety across Hoboken.

• Enhanced Public Engagement and Coordination: Partner with the community and coordinate with local agencies, including Transit Police, Port Authority, and Stevens Institute security, to create a unified public safety strategy across Hoboken and its transportation hubs.

• Expanded Communication Efforts: Address misinformation promptly and ensure accurate information is shared with the public. Ensure public safety issues, even when under the direction of another agency, are communicated effectively to residents.

READ MORE: Woman Knocked Unconscious, Man Assaulted In Hoboken Park