In a historic move to cement nearly a decade of systemic police reform, Mayor Ras J. Baraka, alongside Deputy Mayor LaKeesha Eure and Corporation Counsel Kenyatta Stewart, announced the establishment of the City of Newark’s Office of Constitutional Affairs (OCA). The Mayor signed a permanent Executive Order to institutionalize the office, ensuring that the ethical and professional standards achieved during the city’s nine-year federal consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice remain permanent.
This landmark announcement comes at a time of historic public safety milestones for the Brick City. Newark recently ranked sixth nationwide on the Major Cities Chiefs Association’s list of cities with the largest drop in homicides. Boasting a staggering 66.7 percent First Quarter reduction when comparing 2025 to 2026, Newark recorded only three homicides as of March 31, 2026—proving that its community-based public safety ecosystem is yielding real-world results.
Independent Oversight Grounded in the Community
Following the successful conclusion of the federal consent decree, the OCA was established as a centralized entity to prevent regression, monitor Internal Affairs complaints, and analyze data to ensure the Newark Police Division (NPD) strictly adheres to the U.S. Constitution.
Headed by Deputy Mayor LaKeesha Eure, the office will operate independently with its own legal and administrative staff. To ensure deep systemic accountability, the OCA’s Board of Directors will feature dedicated representatives from elite local and national civil rights organizations, including:
- The ACLU and NAACP
- The New Jersey Institute for Social Justice (NJISJ)
- The Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB)
- People’s Organization for Progress (POP)
- The Ironbound Community Corporation (ICC) and La Casa de Don Pedro
“Unlike some municipal cases where a consent decree is concluded because of a relaxation in federal policy, Newark earned its consent decree through rigorous effort to exceed every standard,” said Mayor Baraka. “Setting up this office is indisputable proof of our long-term commitment to the law and the inherent rights of all people.”
Transparency and Public Education
The OCA will mandate absolute transparency, hosting quarterly public meetings to discuss policing data and trends. The independent Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) will maintain its full authority while collaborating with the OCA on public education, community town halls, and policy recommendations.
Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda welcomed the oversight, noting that the new office gives the NPD a platform to continue building on the solid community trust and internal cultural shifts achieved over the last nine years. By embedding community listening sessions, youth engagement, and constitutional rights workshops into its core mission, the OCA ensures that the residents of Newark will always have a direct voice in shaping the future of policing.
