As reported by nj.com, Camden Mayor Dana Reed says her crime-ridden city will rehire 50 police officers and 15 firefighters two months after deep layoffs to public safety departments. Reed announced that she will use $2.5 million paid to the City by the South Jersey Port Corp, plus federal grants, to bring back the officers through the summer.

The quasi-state agency announced it would make the payment late last year after skipping a larger payment it owed the cash-strapped city government. Reed said she would use it to stave off layoffs. However, she said she would not do so unless unions for public workers made concessions first. She reversed course, rehiring workers without concessions. Crime has been up since January, when nearly half the police force was laid off.