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ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE II, CHAPTER 2, OFFICE OF THE MAYOR AND AGENCIES, OF THE REVISED GENERAL ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY 2000, AS AMENDED AND SUPPLEMENTED, BY CREATING AND ESTABLISHING A CIVILIAN COMPLAINT REVIEW BOARD.
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WHEREAS, on July 22, 2014, the City of Newark and the United States Department of Justice ("DOJ") and the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey entered into an Agreement in Principle, which contemplates the negotiation of a Consent Decree with the DOJ to resolve the United States' investigation of the Newark Police Department (NPD), which is the subject of findings publicly released on July 22, 2014; and
WHEREAS, the investigative findings of the DOJ showed, inter alia,
...a pattern or practice of constitutional violations in the Newark Police Department's stop and arrest practices, its response to individuals' exercise of their rights under the First Amendment, the Newark Police Department's use of force, and theft by officers. The investigation also revealed deficiencies in the Newark Police Department's systems that are designed to prevent and detect misconduct, including its systems for reviewing force and investigating complaints regarding officer conduct...The City of Newark is diminished, and the Newark Police Department rendered less effective, by these patterns and practices of unconstitutional conduct.
Investigation of the Newark Police Department, United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, United States Attorney's Office, District of New Jersey, July 22, 2014, at page 1; and
WHEREAS, the Agreement in Principle contained the following paragraph:
The City is establishing and will fund a civilian oversight entity for the NPD to assist NPD both in adhering to the Agreement and to foster positive relations between NPD and the Newark community. The City will establish a mechanism through which it will work with the community to deter...
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