Mayor Cory A. Booker announced Samuel A. DeMaio has been confirmed as the City of Newark’s Police Director. DeMaio was appointed Acting Police Director on May 3, 2011, upon the departure of his predecessor, Garry F. McCarthy, who left to become the new Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.

“Samuel DeMaio’s innovative policing strategies and leadership have already had a significant impact on the Police Department. In a short time frame, DeMaio’s hands-on-approach, at the helm of the Safe Summer Initiative, has led to a powerful coalition with multiple layers of law enforcement. Director DeMaio is doing more with less and producing results: from the daily community patrols in concentrated high crime areas to bringing back the mounted horse units; obtaining manpower from Essex County’s Vice Unit; restoring helicopter operations to avoid vehicular pursuits; dozens of citations and arrests; and the recent recoveries of semi-automatic weapons. Director DeMaio’s performance during the past three months as Acting Director of the Newark Police Department is a clear indication that he will be a tremendous asset to this Administration. We are confident in Director DeMaio’s ability to continue leading the department,” said Mayor Booker.

Director DeMaio is a Newark native. He followed in his father’s footsteps and began his career with the Newark Police Department in 1986, at the age of 19. Director DeMaio worked his way up through the ranks at a rapid pace, becoming the youngest person to achieve each of the ranks he was promoted to. As a Patrolman he worked in the City’s North District and the prestigious Tactical Force. In 1990, he was promoted to Detective, where he worked with the Major Crimes Bureau and the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force.

In 1992, Director DeMaio was promoted to the rank of Captain, where he commanded the South and North Districts, developed and commanded the Safe City Task Force and served as Chief of Staff to the Chief of Police. In 2005, he was promoted to Deputy Chief where he served as Chief of Staff, Chief of Detectives and his current assignment, Commanding Officer of the Police Director’s Office. In this role, DeMaio oversaw and facilitated the Department’s weekly Compstat meeting, which is the innovative management tool in policing today that measures the performance of all Department Commanders and develops crime fighting strategies to be utilized by the Agency.

“I thank the Municipal Council for confirming me as Police Director, which is a vote of confidence in the changes we have been making and the policies we are launching to address crime and serve the residents of the City of Newark. Our police officers are second to none in law enforcement and it’s been a privilege for the past 25 years to work with the men and women of the largest and finest police department in the state of New Jersey.  It is a tremendous honor and opportunity that the Mayor and the Council have given me to lead Newark’s Police Department,” said Police Director DeMaio.

Mayor Booker also announced that he has appointed veteran Captain Sheilah A. Coley, who is currently serving as head of the Police Department’s Office of Professional Standards, to serve as Acting Police Chief after the Municipal Council voted today to reinstate the position. Coley will be the first female to hold this rank in the Police Department’s history.

“Today is a historic moment for our City and our Police Department, as we promote from within our ranks, one of our most professional, dedicated, and deserving police officers, making her the first woman to hold this rank. I know that Sheilah Coley will manifest by example the highest principles of leadership and integrity that she has displayed throughout her career, and be a role model for our entire City, ” said Mayor Booker.

Captain Coley joined the Newark Police Department in 1989.  As a patrol officer, she was assigned to the West and East Districts.  In 1991, she was a detective in the Narcotics Unit and the East District Detectives’ Squad.  She was also worked with the Newark Police Athletic League (NPAL), where she developed and supervised activities for youth. In 1996, Officer Coley was promoted to Sergeant.  In that capacity, she returned to the West District as Patrol Supervisor.  She was later assigned to the Internal Affairs and Professional Standards Bureaus.  In 1999, she was assigned as the Commander of the South District Detective Squad. Promoted to Lieutenant in 2000, she was assigned to the Safer Cities Task Force, Commander of the Sexual Assault Rape Analysis (SARA) Unit.  In 2002, she became the Executive Officer of the Criminal Investigation Bureau and also served a brief term as Investigative Lieutenant in the Communications Division. Upon being promoted to Captain in 2004, she assumed responsibility as Executive Officer of the

South District, subsequently becoming Commander of the South District (5^th Precinct).  Additionally, Captain Coley has been the Commander of the Newark Police Academy, Criminal Investigations, and Communications Divisions. She attended the Community College of the Air Force and Essex County College.  She attended the Yale University Child Study Program, the Senior Institute for Policing, Penn State’s POLEX Program, Northwestern University, and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

“I am honored and excited by the challenge of becoming Newark’s first female chief of police. I thank Mayor Booker, Police Director DeMaio and the Municipal Council for the trust and confidence they have placed in me. I promise my brothers and sisters in blue that I will give them the highest level of professional leadership and the citizens of Newark the best police force in the entire nation,” said Acting Chief Coley.

Under the Booker Administration, the City of Newark has formed several new partnerships and launched numerous new initiatives and policing strategies. Since being created in 2006, the Newark Police Foundation has raised thousands of dollars in philanthropic donations to support the purchase and deployment of new crime-fighting technology, including the deployment of more than one hundred wireless video surveillance cameras, a sonic gunshot detection system, a new state-of-the-art emergency services vehicle, and the operation of the City’s “Crime Stopper” and “Gun Stopper” anonymous tip lines.

More than 1,100 officers make up the Newark Police Department, making it the largest municipal department in the State of New Jersey. This September, the Department is scheduled to open its new 5^th Precinct in the South Ward, a state-of-the-art 75,000-square-foot facility that will include the City’s Office of Emergency Management. The Department also received a $1 million grant earlier this year to provide for a specialized vehicle that can read license plates numbers.

Anyone with information about any crime in Newark is urged to call the Department’s 24-hour “Crime Stoppers” anonymous tip line at 877 NWK-TIPS (877 695-8477) or 877 NWK-GUNS (877 695-4867). Tips leading to arrests and indictments could result in cash rewards of up to $2,000 to the person who provides the information or $1,000 per gun

for calls into the gun hot line.

For more information on any City of Newark program or policy, contact the Non-Emergency Call Center at (973) 733-4311.

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