This morning at a press conference at Newark City Hall, Mayor Ras Baraka and Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose spoke on the progress of the 45-day plan to reduce crime and violence that was announced last month. Director Ambrose also spoke to the future and his plan for the next 90 days.
Beginning the press conference, Director Ambrose said, “We’re not here to claim victory, but to claim progress.” There was a great deal of transparency to the state of Newark police efforts as made apparent prior to the announcement of the 45-day plan. Community surveys had been conducted that revealed an alarming amount of complaints and reports of crime had either not been answered, not been responded to, or not followed up on by detectives. After a forensic audit of communications, it was revealed that going back to early 2014 there were 17,000 calls made to the Newark Police Department that never got through and were redirected to the Jersey City Police Department.
However, the 45-day plan set into action last month has been addressing these and other issues head on. Director Ambrose said that fifty police officers have be reassigned to the street from administrative positions. And for the first time in decades, many Newark residents are seeing walking patrols on secondary and neighborhood streets.
Looking forward to the next 90 days, Director Ambrose said the Newark Police Department will be hiring 150 more police officers, who will be out on the street by February 2017. Walking patrols are also expected to begin 7 days a weeks.
As far as new technologies to establish greater efficiency in policing, 100 body cameras will be implemented along with 25 more patrol and unmarked police cars.
Director Ambrose spoke about new technologies that will be brought in to the Newark Police Department such as Shot Spotter. See the below video on Shot Spotter and its success in other cities.
Director Ambrose also mentioned that he will be implementing state-of-the-art “Shoot/Dont’ Shoot” firearm training.
Mayor Baraka mentioned the desire to bring the police closer to the community. Newark residents have been suffering historically with a strong distrust of the police and fear of reporting crimes.
I, for one, am looking forward to the development of the 90-day plan and what that will mean for Newark residents and beyond.
