The move to create a new public safety department eliminates the city's longstanding police and fire director positions and places both departments under the auspices of Anthony Ambrose
NEWARK - The city's police and fire departments are officially under a new regime.
The City Council approved a pair of ordinances Thursday morning, approving a new public safety department and setting a salary for a department director - who will take the place of the longstanding police and fire director positions - at between $176,000 and $190,000.
The votes officially placed the two departments, along with the city's emergency management operations, under the auspices of Anthony Ambrose, a former Newark police director and chief and Essex County chief of detectives who was installed as acting director late last month.
Council members praised the move prior to the final tally, saying they had high hopes Ambrose could help bring down homicide and shooting numbers that jumped significantly in 2015.
"We're getting someone who has experience. He also has connections with the state, the county and other law enforcement agencies," said South Ward Councilman John Sharpe James. "That's what we need right now as we rebuild our police department. We need boots on the ground....but we also need connections with those other agencies."
The city is expected to shed several jobs and save approximately $585,000 annually under the new structure. Police Director Eugene Venable will return to another role on the police department's command staff, while Fire Director James Stewart is expected to retire.
Last week, Baraka revealed that Police Chief Anthony Campos plans to retire in the coming months, and will be replaced by Acting Lt. Darnell Henry.
A single resident, Sandra Hughes, raised tempered concerns about the city's choice in director at Thursday's meetings, questioning whether misconduct by officers during Ambrose's time atop the police department between 2009 and 2006 may have helped lead the U.S. Department of Justice to announce its intention to reform the force.
"I can't say certainly, but its something that should definitely be explored," she said. "I commend his service to the city, but I think it's the right of residents to say look, 'let's take a look at this.'"
Newark public safety director says officers will 'have to work' in battle against crime
Council members, however, said that Ambrose's tenure as an administrator was defined by a peace that has since become a thing of the past in the city.
"The streets were safe, things got calm. That's why we had unprecedented nightlife (at that time)," said Central Ward Councilwoman Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins. "We're trying to bring that kind of thing back.
Council members also agreed to have attorneys examine the ordinances after John Chrystal, president of the Newark Superior Officers Association, expressed concerns that several of the changes it instituted, such as granting a public safety director powers of discipline, were at odds with state law.
"We're not against it. We support the public safety director ordinance," he said. "We're just requesting that you amend the ordinance so that it's harmonious with state law.
The votes had originally been scheduled for the council's regular meeting on Wednesday, but were moved back a day due to an oversight by the city clerk's office when advertising the ordinance in local newspapers.
In an interview after the vote, Ambrose said he had been hard at work on a 45-day plan to reduce crime and violence in the city, which he planned to present to the mayor and other officials next week.
In comments just prior to the vote, Baraka acknowledged that he had received some pushback over the changes and the appointment of Ambrose, but said he remained steadfast that they were necessary to improve conditions for residents.
"On the one side, people say we need change. On the other side they don't want the change. It really doesn't make any sense," he said. "We can't make everybody happy. What we can do is try to make the city safe."
Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
