The city unveiled 41 new vehicles for the Newark Police Department, including the Department's first electric personal mobility transporter, purchased with funds seized from or forfeited by criminals.
"When I first came into office I made a commitment that my administration would support our heroic and dedicated Police Officers with state-of-the-art vehicles and new, energy-efficient technology, to help them continue to do their job," Mayor Cory Booker said. "Today even during these tough economic times, we were able to fulfill this commitment to our Police Officers who risk their lives everyday to preserve the public safety of our residents."
During the event, Police Director Gary McCarthy thanked Essex County Prosecutor Paula Dow for releasing the funding for the vehicles.
"We are putting the illegally-obtained profits of crime to the honorable task of upholding the law, without additionally burdening our taxpayers," McCarthy said.
The 40 Ford Crown Victoria Interceptors will be an addition to the Department's current fleet and are equipped with Mobile Data Computers (MDCs), which enable officers to almost instantaneously obtain information on suspects, drivers, missing persons, and other information contained in the National Crime Information Center and State Crime Information Center databases. Currently, officers have to contact a dispatcher to make these inquiries for them. This system eliminates that process.
"Newark's Police Officers do their jobs every day with courage, valor, intelligence, professionalism, and commitment," McCarthy said. "We are committed to providing our officers with the tools and technology they need to protect and serve our residents."
The MDCs are also fully upgradeable to one day allow for voiceless communications between the dispatcher and the units and display call information, thereby reducing the likelihood of mistakes. The vehicles are painted in the department's easily recognizable and traditional black-and-white paint scheme, chosen to make the cars more visible and therefore an additional deterrent to crime.
In addition, the Department is experimenting with its first electric personal mobility transporter which will be used to provide mobility for police patrol work in crowded areas, specifically around the Prudential Center. The T3 Personal Electric Mobility unit has LED emergency and running lights, a nine-inch raised platform for enhanced visibility, and a zero-degree turning radius. It is electrically-powered, with zero gas emissions, and can respond at speeds up to 25 miles per hour.
"The Police Department is now moving forward by experimenting with this Personal Electric Transporter which we anticipate will not only enhance the mobility of our police officers in crowded areas but will help to protect our environment," Booker said.
The T3 vehicle is produced by T3 Motion, Inc., based in Irvine, California. This three-wheeled vehicle stands 53.3 inches tall, 34.6 inches wide, 63.8 inches long, and weighs 280 lbs. It comes equipped with LED lights, siren, and horn, a lockable glove box for storage, and can carry up to 450 lbs., (rider and equipment).
The T3 is powered by lightweight electric Power Modules, which can be recharged in three to four hours from a 110-volt outlet, and can be swapped out in less than a minute. The emission-free electric power source means that the T3 can be operated for less than 10 cents per day. It can go from full speed to full stop in 10 feet, and respond at speeds up to 25 mph.
The T3's driving console is based on an intuitive and easy-to-learn control system. The T3 is being used by first response agencies like the Colorado Springs Fire Department, the Daytona International Speedway, Virginia Tech University, the US Navy Little Creek Amphibious Base in Virginia, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, and the Ramsey, New Jersey, Police Department.
Since 2006, Newark has seen a 21 percent decrease in overall crime, a 28 percent reduction in murders, and a 46 percent cut in shootings. These successes have been the result of major changes in the Police Department, ranging from the increased deployment of officers to evening work to the use of modern technology like surveillance cameras and sonic gunshot detectors, to the creation of the Newark Police Foundation and its associated Crime Stoppers and Gun Stoppers Tiplines, which pay anonymous rewards for information leading to arrests and indictments.
During a four-day time period in November and December 2009, The Newark Police Department in partnership with the Essex County Prosecutors Office, was able to collect 618 weapons, during the highly successful Handgun Amnesty Buyback Program.
McCarthy attributed these successes to a variety of factors.
"It's not one strategy but a combination of everything we are doing, from deploying more police officers at night when crime is higher and the creation of a central Narcotics Squad, Fugitive Apprehension Team, and Gun Violence Reduction Strategy to the creation of the "Newark's 12 Most Wanted List," which has resulted in 107 arrests," McCarthy said. "While we have made great strides in improving public safety, there is still much more work to do."
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.
Since the anonymous tip lines began, police have received more than 3,000 calls and paid out more than $61,000 in reward money resulting in more than 200 arrests, the recovery of 78 guns, and the confiscation of more than $235,000 worth of illegal narcotics.
Residents with any questions about municipal services can contact the Non-Emergency Call Center at (973) 733-4311 Mondays through Fridays, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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