NPD Supplemental Overtime Details to Reduce Violent Crime.

The purpose of this correspondence is to seek consideration relative to grant funding in support of the Newark Police Department and its efforts to combat violent crime and the fear of crime within the City of Newark, Delaware. The City of Newark Police Department (NPD) is responsible for protecting the lives, homes, businesses, and properties of all Newark residents, stakeholders, community partners, and guests. With a population of over 32,000, the City of Newark is a diverse community and NPD continually strives to provide superlative police services. The NPD’s duties include apprehending offenders, conducting preventive patrols, enforcing state and local laws, performing criminal investigations, promoting traffic safety, community collaboration, and responding to myriad of calls for service. The dedicated officers of the NPD put their lives on the line daily to ensure the safety of all who live, work, and visit the City of Newark, Delaware. The NPD is currently authorized for 79 sworn officers who are assigned to various units throughout the Department.

The NPD has worked hard over the past several years to combat violent crime within the city, especially Group A crimes. Due to the great work of the men and women of the Newark Police Department, a comparison of crime statistics from June 2022 through June 2023 reveals a 66% decrease in aggravated assaults, 44% decrease in robberies, and 37% decrease in burglaries.   

The NPD looks to continue to combat crime, especially in the heavily trafficked areas of the Downtown/Central Business District and the South College Avenue Corridor through the Targeted Overtime Patrol Project.

The NPD’s goal to combat crime in these areas is through an effective, data-driven, and multi-pronged approach that employs a combination of resources, including enhanced technology, training, and officer overtime. Specifically, support from the FY 2023 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program will be utilized for increased officer overtime (i.e., uniformed foot/bike patrols, high visibility patrols, and surveillance patrols) to quell disorderly conduct, quality of life issues/offenses and reduce violent crime, particularly in “hotspot” areas throughout the City.  Focus will be in the central business district and its surrounding neighborhoods and in the vicinity of the South College Avenue Corridor. Both of these areas have experienced high levels of violent crime, mainly robberies and assaults. In addition to combating observed crime in these locations, increased officer visibility will reassure residents, business owners/employees, students, and visitors, creating an atmosphere of order and safety.