Newark State of the City 2007

Mayor Booker lays out vision for city

By: Kristy Barry

Posted: 2/13/07

He's armed with political power, dangerously optimistic and taking on what seems like mission impossible.

In his state of the city address last Thursday, Mayor Cory Booker said he plans to dramatically enhance the city's technology, crack down on crime and increase the quality of life for Newark residents.

"Hold me accountable for the results in Newark," Booker said. "I give you my labor and my passion...my heart and my head...hold me accountable but also stand with me."

Booker addressed the crime that plagues Newark by announcing a new wide network of crime-fighting cameras throughout the city. "These public safety cameras have become invaluable in crime suppression and investigations around the world," including a captured serial killer in Philadelphia and the subway bombers in London. "Cameras help prevent crime and take dangerous criminals off the streets," Booker said.

The city has also received approval for a second police helicopter, as well as night vision for the current helicopter. New databases are forthcoming for the police department to cross-reference information that has, up to now, mostly been paper-based and will "result in better arresting and conviction rates," Booker said.

In addition, the new nonprofit organization Newark Police Foundation has already raised over $1 million. This money will assist in the purchasing of new technology for the police department, including video cameras for police vehicles, new fingerprint identification systems and license plate scanning systems, Booker explained.

In March, the Newark Police Foundation will also support the crime-stopping programs with 100 percent anonymous tip lines, offering financial incentives for those who lead police to arrests or gun recovery. "The effectiveness of these campaigns in other cities has been staggering," Booker said. In New York City, he said, the program has lead to the arrests of over 2,400 criminals and the seizure of over $20 million in stolen property and narcotics.

The "massive recruitment efforts" are being made to put more officers on the streets, said Booker. The police director, McCarthy, has recently taken 140 uniformed officers out of their offices and back on patrol as part of "intelligent policing."

It's all part of an anti-violence campaign for the city, which includes the introduction of the Fugitive Apprehension Team at the end of last November as well as a Narcotics Unit and Gang Unit in January.

Since it was launched, FAT has been responsible for the capture of 225 criminals and has five out of 12 criminals on the city's most wanted list in custody. The Narcotics Unit has made over 110 arrests and has seized guns, drug money and paraphernalia from off the streets. Cracking down on the drug trade is crucial, said Booker, because the majority of violent crimes committed result from the illegal drug trade.

"Our unity is producing results," Booker said. "But I am not satisfied. This progress is not enough."

The mayor also stressed the importance of affordable housing, holding corrupt landlords accountable, giving arena jobs to Newark residents and bringing in businesses. "Despite the weather, Newark is hot with interest."

He wants to increase affordable healthcare, promote physical fitness, increase immunizations and start counseling programs to prevent teen pregnancies and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. "We must be there for our families, plain and simple" said Booker, "This will be the ultimate mark of our city's strength."

Major scholarship programs are also in the works to encourage Newark students to attend college. Booker also urged for the enhancement of parks and recreational facilities in Newark saying, "we need abundant space."

Other topics included a successful and timely balanced budget for the city as well as the planning stages of re-entry programs to give convicted criminals job opportunities and social work when they are released from prison. "We must embody values and lead by example," Booker said.

He began his speech by discussing Newark's first mayor [William Halsey] and how he inherited a city engulfed in fire, crime and despair but that the city still managed to pull out of it. "Here we stand with history's heroes at our backs viewing our own landscape of sobering challenges and profound potential," Booker said.

He concluded his speech by reciting a passage from the Gettysburg address while the deputy mayor held a copy of the Life magazine with a Newark boy slain on the streets during the riots. "We here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain," Booker recited.

"I thought the mayor demonstrated a clear understanding of where we've been and where we need to go," said William Payne, assemblyman of district 29. "He recognized future problems are formidable and…is committed to resolving problems that seem irresolvable," Payne said.

"Cities too often fall to the lowest common denominator due to race, religion and economics...but we are intricately tied together," said Amin Nathari, deputy director of communications for City Hall.

"The mayor laid out the city's strategic priorities...glad to see he laid out plans to make Newark safer and bring the police department to the 21st century," said Anibal Ramos, councilman of the North Ward, who also graduated from Rutgers-Newark in 1997 with a history/political science degree.

"I thought his speech came from the heart," said John Guida, fire captain of truck five. "Because of the mayor we have more men and better equipment…I think the city is headed in the right direction."


Wilfred Innocent contributed to this report.

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