As testimony to Jersey City’s growing diversity, the March 9 police promotional ceremonies included the first African-American lieutenant in more than a decade – the highest-ranking African American in the department – as well as the department’s first Pakistani Muslim sergeant.
Benjamin Dailey, a police officer since 2005, is the new lieutenant. Mohammad Riaz, who finished top scorer in his promotional tests, is the first Muslim to become a ranking police officer in town.
“Jersey City is the most diverse city in the nation, and it is our goal is to have a police department that reflects the community it serves, both in rank and file,” said Mayor Steven Fulop. “We are being aggressive in our approach to recruit young men and women from every community in Jersey City, and we also recognize the importance of diversity at every level of the department.”
Fulop, Public Safety Director James Shea, and Police Chief Philip Zacche, along with several members of the City Council, and more than a hundred family members, friends and fellow police officers, paid tribute to the promotion of seven sergeants and seven lieutenants.
“This is an important day,” Fulop said in addressing the police officers and the audience. “We’re recognizing terrific officers who are being promoted to lieutenants and sergeants. Each of these officers will now take on new responsibilities and new leadership. I couldn’t be more proud. We are recognizing them for the hard work they did.”
The new JCPD
These promotions are part of a restructuring of the department instituted last summer, and adhere to a newly-established table of organization, the first in more than a decade.
Fulop noted that a class of new police officers currently attending the police academy shows the expanding diversity of the police force in Jersey City. That class of 41 includes 32 minorities: five Asian males, seven African-American males, two African-American females, 13 Latinos, and five Latinas.
“We are pleased that Mayor Fulop has made making the police department more diverse a priority, and are grateful for this change,” said Pastor John H. McReynolds of Mt. Olive Baptist Church. “When police officers are from the community and reflect the community they serve, relations are strengthened and police work is greatly improved. We will continue to work with Mayor Fulop to continue this progress.”
“Today’s promotions are part of our ongoing commitment to expand diversity in our police force.” — Public Safety James Director Shea.
____________
Then, in December, Mayor Fulop promoted 25 officers to the rank of detective, including eight Latinos, four African-Americans and two Filipino-American officers, as well as the department’s first Egyptian Muslim detective.
“Today’s promotions are part of our ongoing commitment to expand diversity in our police force,” said Public Safety Director Shea. “All of our promotions recognize excellence in the department and we are fortunate to have so many hard working candidates representing different communities across Jersey City.”
The Fulop Administration has hired 132 new police officers overall as part of its focus on enhancing public safety and growing the department, Fulop said. Among two of the new classes sworn in by Mayor Fulop, ten languages are spoken including English, Spanish, Italian, Greek, Arabic, Urdu, Polish, Swahili, Bengali and Vietnamese.
“Today is truly a proud and historic day for the Pakistani American community, as we welcome the first Pakistani Muslim sergeant to the Jersey City Police Department,” said Dr. Rafiq Chaudhry. “Jersey City’s diversity is found throughout the city and when officers understand the culture, speak the language and know the people they serve, it makes a positive impact. We should continue to encourage our youth to be involved in public service and civics as this will greatly improve our communities.”
Diversity is a Fulop initiative
Shortly after taking office in July 2013, Fulop held a police diversity recruitment seminar at City Hall that drew hundreds of residents. He expanded the Police Diversity Recruitment initiative in October, using a Marine Corps model that operates in the community to work with interested applicants throughout the process, encouraging them and providing necessary resources such as academic and physical training.
The new recruitment office, which now has two full-time officers assigned, is strategically located at the HUB on Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive. The two dedicated officers are conducting outreach to churches, community groups, high schools and other organizations, as well as receiving dozens of walk-ins weekly. The recruitment officers have generated letters of interest from 37 African American males, 34 African American females, 11 Latinos, 19 Latinas, and eight residents representing other races or ethnic groups.
The recruitment officers will continue to communicate with interested residents throughout the process will provide police test prep courses, GED assistance if needed, physical training and other resources to ensure candidates not only stay interested, but receive the best training so they can succeed on the next police test.
Along with Dailey, there other officers sworn in as lieutenants included Anthony Scalcione, Pawel Wojtowicz, James Crecco, Ian Gallagher, Patrick Kirwin, and Joseph Dumanski.
The new sergeants included Riaz, Thomas Broderick, Christopher Dalton, Crisant Bereguette, Mark Minervini, Anthony Lewis and Clifford Crolius.
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.