Newark, NJ--The Newark Police Division is seeking the public’s input on a the creation of a new community policing plan through a series of upcoming CommUnity and Cops meetings to be held throughout the month of February.

Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose announced this week that public input will be used to formulate the new Newark Police Division community policing policy.

The CommUnity and Cops meetings are designed to bridge the gap between the public’s day-to-day experiences and concerns regarding crime reduction and policing matters and to ensure their contribution to NPD’s community policing policy.

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The meetings are part of an overarching strategy to expand collaboration between police and community groups toward solving local neighborhood problems.

In 2017, the NPD received an award from New Jersey Attorney General Christopher Porrino for Outstanding Community Policing for its innovative approach to fostering relationships of collaboration and trust between police and the community.

Specifically, NPD was awarded for its Clergy Patrol, a program that partners members of the city’s 100-member volunteer Clergy Alliance with police on scheduled patrols. Using yellow police cruisers, Clergy Patrol members join police in visiting business owners and residents at their homes, hospitals, shops or schools each weekday.

The volunteers also provide consolation to crime victims and witnesses as needed.

Ambrose said he hopes to build on this success and will solicit ideas from the community in devising a community policing strategy that meets the needs of the community.





“I wholeheartedly believe that effective policing goes hand-in-hand with community relations that are built on trust and transparency,” Ambrose said. “These meetings empower our community members and offer them the unique opportunity to have their concerns heard and implemented based on their partnership with us to make Newark safer.”

The meetings are to be hosted by each precinct commander and are scheduled as follows:

1st Precinct, 205 Spruce Street/Community Center on Tuesday, February 27 at 6 p.m.

2nd Precinct, 1 Lincoln Avenue, Training Section Class A on Wednesday, February 14 at 6:30 p.m.

3rd Precinct, 55 Prospect Street, Portuguese Sports Club on Wednesday, February 21 at 7 p.m.

4th Precinct, 107 Ivy Street/Ivy Hill School on Thursday, February 15 at 7 p.m.

5th Precinct, 480 Clinton Avenue/Community Room on Tuesday, February 20 at 7 p.m.