HAMMONTON BLOG

So said the mayor of Winslow Township, SueAnn Metzner, before last week's meeting about the situation at Ancora Psychiatric Hospital. Officials from Hammonton in Atlantic County and Chesilhurst and Winslow and Waterford townships in Camden County met with representatives of the hospital and the State Police to discuss better ways of notifying residents of breakouts and maintaining security at the Winslow Township facility.

The increased scrutiny follows the Dec. 9 escape of DeWitt Crandell Jr. - the second such incident at the facility in three months - which led to the reassignment of Ancora CEO Latanya Wood El and a security guard. Admitted killer William Enman escaped from the hospital in September.

Hammonton Mayor John DiDonato said hospital officials admitted some of their equipment was "antiquated" and needed to be upgraded, especially its notification system, which malfunctioned during the Crandell breakout. He added that there was some discussion of expanding the area notified of escapes from a one-mile radius to a three- or five-mile radius, which Metzner said she suggested even before the Crandell escape.

It was in Hammonton, slightly more than a mile down the railroad tracks from the facility, where searchers found a naked Crandell just two hours after his escape.

We commend the Mayor for attending this meeting and speaking on behalf of the concerned citizens of Hammonton. Let us hope that progress was made and the notification system works the next time it is needed, although we hope it is never needed. The Mayor should continue to follow up to insure that the notification area is expanded to a reasonable distance.