Newark Police Department (New Jersey)

Established in April 1857, the Newark Police Department (NPD) is the primary law enforcement agency serving Newark, New Jersey, and the largest municipal law enforcement agency in New Jersey.[1][2] As of January 2017 the force had 1035 officers in its ranks.[3] In December 2017, it had increased to 1,146.[4] New academy classes have kept the total above 1,100 through 2019.[5]

Newark Police Department
AbbreviationNPD
Agency overview
Employees1,300
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionNewark, New Jersey, USA
Size26 square miles (67 km2)
Population281,402
General nature
Operational structure
HeadquartersCity of Newark
Public Safety Director responsible
  • Anthony Ambrose
Agency executive
  • Lee Douglas, Chief of Police
Website
npd.newarkpublicsafety.org
Former headquarters at Government Center

In July 2014, the newly elected mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka, appointed Eugene Venable as police director and Anthony Campos as police chief.[6] Later that month, Baraka and U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Paul Fishman announced that the city had entered into an agreement with the US Justice Department to monitor[7] the force.[8][9][10] In the wake of the three-year report, Baraka in December announced a new citizen's advisory board composed of civilians and other measures.[11]

2nd Precinct

The post of chief of police was abolished in 2008, when the chief handled day-to-day operations and the director handled policy. The position was reestablished by the city council in July 2011.[12] The department was headed by police director Samuel DeMaio between 2011[13] and 2014.[14] Sheilah Coley was police chief between 2011 and 2014.[12][15]

In December 2015, a new position, Director of Public Safety, which would oversee both police and fire departments, was created.[16][17]

On August 5, 2016, Darnell Henry, a 22-year veteran of the Newark police department, was sworn in as chief of the force after serving in an acting capacity for several months.

History

The foundation for the Newark Police Department dates back to 1681 when two men were appointed as watchmen to preserve peace and crime in the town at night. Eventually, these responsibilities extended to more individuals and a group of seven watchmen were appointed to the four watch districts in Newark. Once Newark became incorporated in April 1836, Mayor William Halsey decided to extend a notion to institute the "City Watch." The City Watch consisted of policemen who were responsible for patrolling the streets of Newark. In 1855, the watchmen were officially associated as the Constables and the Night Watch were those who kept watch at nighttime. In April 1857, the Newark Police Department was established when the municipal police replaced the Night Watch and Constables.[2]

Force

The Newark Police Department is the largest municipal police force in New Jersey.[18] In 2011 the size of the police department was reduced by 13% (167 officers) as the result of budget cuts.[19][20] In November 2013, the NPD re-hired five officers who had been laid off, and another four who had previously worked in Camden.[21] As of January 2014, the force had 800 officers in its ranks. It was announced that month that the city would hire 100 new officers, 50 immediately after they graduate from the police academy, which began in March 2014.[22] In September 2014, 35 new officers were sworn in.[23] The new hires are part of larger plan to expand the force to 1400 officers.[24] In October 2014, Baraka said "We are looking at ways to make our police department more efficient, more responsive to our residents’ needs" and proposed cost-cutting steps to get rid of stipends paid to detectives on top of their overtime payments, make weekends part of regularly scheduled workweeks (effectively creating Saturday to Thursday or a Tuesday to Sunday workweeks voiding weekend overtime). The plan would eliminate gasoline allowances for detectives and stop allowing department vehicles to be available for 24-hour personal use and stop automatic on-call time for police personnel, Baraka hoped to save $2 million annually and plans to use the money to hire 65 new officers in 2015.[25] Baraka said the city also hoped to increase police salaries by two percent.[26]

In April 2014, it was announced that the state police would play a more prominent role in patrolling the streets of the city under the "TIDE-TAG" program.[27][28]

In July 2014 the mayors of Newark, Jersey City, and Paterson announced an initiative whereby the respective police forces would collaborate in certain areas including the sharing of intelligence about gangs, purchasing power agreements, and providing employment training and job entry programs.[29][30]

The department is a member of the New York-New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force.[31]

Departments

Source:[32]

  • Alcoholic Beverage Control Board (ABC Board)
  • Detective Division
  • Internal Affairs Bureau
  • Patrol Division
  • Records and Communications Bureau
  • Special Operations Bureau (which includes the Emergency Services Units)
  • Taxicab Commission
  • Youth and Community Service Bureau

Precincts and divisions
  • 1st Precinct - 10 17th Ave. - Central Ward
  • 2nd Precinct/Training Academy - 1 Lincoln Ave. - North Ward
  • 3rd Precinct - 649 Market St. - Ironbound District(East Ward)
  • 4th Precinct/Internal Affairs Bureau - 247 16th Ave. - West Ward
  • 5th Precinct/Headquarters - 480 Clinton Ave. - South Ward
  • 6th Precinct - 491 Irvington Ave. - West Ward/Ivy Hill/Vailsburg
  • 7th Precinct - 159 North 10th St. - North Roseville Section/West of Branch Brooke Park
  • Administration Bureau.
  • Records and Communications Bureau - 311 Washington St.
  • Property and Procurement Section - 104 Arlington St.
  • Metro Division (Traffic/Downtown Enforcement)
  • General Crimes Division(Which Includes The Narcotics Squad)
  • Major Crimes Division
  • S.A.R.A (Sex Crimes)
  • C.D.T Command (Community Deployment Team).
  • Alcohol Beverage Control Unit
  • NPD Taxi Unit
  • Special Operations(Emergency Services Unit) Division[33]

Misconduct

In May 2011, Officer Hugo Fierro beat a man with his pistol outside a local restaurant. He did not report the incident and the man was not charged with a crime. Fierro was sentenced to five years in jail for the assault.[34]

In March 2012, Officer Johnathan Taylor set fire to his own car as a scheme to collect an insurance payment. He was convicted in January 2014 and sentenced to three years probation.[35]

In August 2013, Officer Suliaman Kamara pleaded guilty in a scheme to defraud the federal government of money meant to house poor people. He was sentenced to three months' confinement.[36]

In January 2014, Detective Ugo Bellomo was forced to resign after a court placed him in a program designed to divert offenders from a conviction. This was as a result of a road rage incident in November 2012.[35]

In July 2014, a federal investigation determined that the department "engaged in a pattern of unconstitutional practices, chiefly in its use of force, stop-and-frisk tactics, unwarranted stops and arrests and discriminatory police actions."[37] [38][39] The city agreed to a federal monitoring program.[8] Implementation and compliance with the mandated federal reforms are overseen by the consent decree compliance team, led by Newark police Captain Brian O’Hara.

See also

References
  1. "1,000 cops in Newark: Is that enough?".
  2. https://npd.newarkpublicsafety.org/about/history
  3. "1K and counting: New class bolsters Newark police force".
  4. "122 new cops bolster ranks in Newark (PHOTOS)". NJ.com. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
  5. https://www.tapinto.net/towns/newark/sections/police-and-fire/articles/89-newark-police-recruits-welcomed-to-training-academy
  6. "Newark mayor Baraka gets early start filling in top posts".
  7. "NPD Independent Monitor". NPD Independent Monitor. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
  8. Zambito, Thomas (July 22, 2014). "Justice Department calls for federal monitor of Newark Police Department". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
  9. "Baraka says Justice Department orders on Newark police reforms expected 'reasonably soon'".
  10. "The Journal - News from Cortez, Mancos, Dolores and the Four Corners". the-journal.com.
  11. "Baraka to announce Newark police reform initiatives in wake of federal probe".
  12. Wulfhorst, Ellen (August 19, 2011). "Newark, New Jersey gets first female police chief". News. Reuters.
  13. Queally, James (May 3, 2011). "Deputy Chief Samuel DeMaio is named Newark's acting police director". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved November 28, 2013.
  14. "Newark Police Director Samuel DeMaio says goodbye after 28 years in the department".
  15. "Courts OK federal agreement to oversee Newark PD".
  16. "Baraka proposes consolidating Newark police, fire director jobs".
  17. "Newark public safety director says officers will 'have to work' in battle against crime".
  18. Susman, Tina; Queally, James (22 July 2014). "Federal monitor ordered for Newark police for civil rights violations" – via LA Times.
  19. "Newark police recruits to be laid off as part of budget crisis".
  20. Alden, William (February 25, 2011). "Newark Police Layoffs Threaten Crime-Fighting As Budget Cuts Spark Fears". Huffngton Post. Retrieved January 4, 2014.
  21. Queally, James (November 11, 2013). "Newark Police bolster ranks, hire nine laid-off police officers". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved December 22, 2013.
  22. "Newark's plan to hire 100 cops could be stalled by city budget woes, councilman says".
  23. "Baraka swears in 35 new police officers amid departmental upheaval".
  24. Queally, James (January 7, 2014). "Newark to hire 100 more cops after deadliest year since 1990". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved December 22, 2013.
  25. "250 recruits will be added to 'strained' Newark police force, officials say". NJ.com. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
  26. Nix, Naomi (October 22, 2014). "Newark seeks to slash cops' pay, hire 65 more officers in 2015". The Star-Ledger.
  27. Queally, James (April 16, 2014). "State Troopers deployed to battle rising Newark crime as part of new initiative". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  28. http://www.northjersey.com/news/newark-anti-violence-plan-calls-for-more-cops-1.997417
  29. "Jersey City, Newark and Paterson mayors launch partnership to fight crime".
  30. http://www.northjersey.com/news/paterson-joins-jersey-city-newark-to-launch-anti-crime-initiative-1.1058579
  31. New York-New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force official web site accessed
  32. "Departments". www.ci.newark.nj.us. Archived from the original on 2013-11-03. Retrieved 2013-11-27.
  33. https://npd.newarkpublicsafety.org
  34. Former Newark Cop Gets Five Years for Assault; Veteran officer attacked civilian in 2011, by Paul Milo, May 7, 2013, Newark Patch
  35. Newark cop loses job, sentenced to 3 years probation for torching SUV, by Thomas Zambito, January 13, 2014, The Star-Ledger
  36. Former Newark Police Officer Gets 3 Months For Section 8 Scam, August 13, 2013, New Jersey Today
  37. U.S. Inquiry Reports Bias by the Police In Newark, by Monique O Madan, July 23, 2014, New York Times
  38. Queally, Jamres (February 9, 2014). "Newark police to be monitored by federal watchdog, sources say". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved February 9, 2014.
  39. "Newark leaders say they welcome federal monitor for police department".
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