Funding troubles have caused the Ewing Township Police Department to disband its Gang Enforcement Intelligence Unit.

According to Chief Robert Coulton, the anti-gang efforts cut violent crime in targeted areas by 15 percent in the first year. However, the police department uses about 90 percent of Ewing Township's overtime and the mayor told Coulton to decrease such costs. Coulton says the decision to reassign gang unit officers to patrol units was difficult.

Mayor Jack Ball says he will work hard to restore the anti-gang effort, but money will continue to be a factor.

"We're going to be very creative in how all this is paid for," Ball said.