The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice (collectively “the DOJ”) issued a report in July 2014 finding a pattern and practice of unconstitutional policing by the Newark Police Department and reached an agreement in principle with the City of Newark to undertake wide-ranging reforms within the Police Department. These included: selecting an independent court-appointed monitor and incorporating those reforms in a judicially enforceable consent decree.
The DOJ and the City of Newark then solicited applications from potential monitors. After receiving and reviewing 21 applications, interviewing potential monitors, and soliciting the input of members of the community in writing and in person at information sessions across the city, the DOJ and the City chose Peter C. Harvey, Esq., of Patterson Belknap, to serve as the court-appointed monitor.
The selection of Mr. Harvey was announced on March 30, 2016, in conjunction with the filing by the DOJ and the City of the fully negotiated consent decree in Newark federal court. On May 5, 2016, the court approved the monitor and entered the Consent Decree.
Background Documents
Independent Monitor’s Monitoring Plans
Independent Monitor Reports
Court Opinions and Orders
NPD Status Reports