U.S. Department of Justice Announces Appointment of Federal Monitor Over Newark Cops

After a three-year investigation revealed countless instances of excessive use of force, unlawful stops, and theft of civilian property by law enforcement officials, the U.S. Department of Justice has announced that it will be appointing a federal monitor to oversee the Newark Police Department. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka welcomed the news, saying that he was not happy about the abuse by law enforcement, but he was happy that “we have the ability to transform the police department.”

The investigation revealed, among other things, that 75% of pedestrian stops were conducted without contstitutionally adequate reasons. The report also showed that 85% percent of those stopped were black, despite the fact that 54% of Newark residents are black. Most of the major outlets, including NJ.com, NorthJersey.com, NJ Spotlight, Philly.com, and WBGO covered the story.

The Newak Police Department, however, isn’t the city’s only institution that’s attracting federal attention. According to NJ Spotlight, the U.S. Department of Education is also investigating the city’s controversial plan to reorganize the Newark public school system to determine whether the new “One Newark” program discriminates against African-American students.