The nine-year federal Consent Decree over the Newark Police Division (NPD) officially terminated on November 19, 2025. While Judge Madeline Cox Arleo’s ruling marks the end of federal oversight, a new report by the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice (NJISJ) makes one thing clear: the journey toward true justice is far from over.
From the 1967 Newark Rebellion to the recent January 2026 fatal shooting of Wali Bey, Newark’s history with policing remains a saga of deep-seated trauma and hard-won progress. As Newark regains full control, the NJISJ report serves as both a scorecard of the last decade and a roadmap for the future.
The Consent Decree: By the Numbers
Since the decree began in 2016, the NPD underwent a massive systemic overhaul. By the final 2025 audit, the Independent Monitoring Team found that Newark achieved 95% substantive compliance across 10 priority areas.
Key Pillars of the Overhaul:
- Body-Worn Cameras: Now mandatory for all uniformed officers and detectives.
- De-escalation: Use of force is legally restricted to the minimum amount necessary.
- First Amendment Protections: Explicitly protecting the right of Newarkers to film police.
- LGBTQ+ Protections: Prohibiting bias based on gender identity or expression.
The Statistics of the “Trust Gap”
Despite technical compliance with federal standards, the NJISJ report highlights a significant disparity between policy and the lived experience of Newark residents.
| Group/Metric | 2024–2025 Survey Data |
| Black Residents | 85% do NOT believe police treat residents equally regardless of race. |
| General Trust | 50% of total residents report “at least some” trust in the NPD. |
| Fear of Force | Over 60% of residents fear excessive force will be used against a family member. |
| Performance Rating | Nearly 50% of residents rate the department as “fair” or “poor.” |
The January 2026 shooting of Wali Bey—involving an officer with 25 use-of-force incidents since 2022—underscores the NJISJ’s argument that policy on paper does not always translate to safety on the streets.
The NJISJ Roadmap for Durable Reform
To ensure these reforms stick without federal “hand-holding,” the Institute is calling for legislative action in Trenton:
- Codify the Right to Record: Turning the First Amendment right to film police into state law.
- Ban Chokeholds: Passing bills A1683/S213 to join nine other states in banning the practice.
- CCRB Subpoena Power: Empowering Civilian Complaint Review Boards to compel evidence.
- End Qualified Immunity: Removing the legal shield that protects officers from civil liability.
- Mental Health Response: Implementing a CAHOOTS-style model to replace police with professionals for non-criminal crises.
