School of Criminal Justice
Rutgers University is pleased to welcome Newark Police Department Director Garry F. McCarthy as commencement speaker for the School of Criminal Justice.
Director McCarthy began his law enforcement career in 1981 when he joined the New York Police Department (NYPD) as a young patrolman. He quickly rose through the ranks by taking on some of the department’s toughest assignments, receiving his first promotion to sergeant in 1985 and his second promotion to lieutenant in 1989. He became captain, deputy inspector, and inspector in 1992, 1997 and 1999, respectively. With 19 years of service and the command of three precincts under his belt, McCarthy was appointed deputy commissioner of operations where he served as the principal crime strategist for the entire department. During his seven-year tenure as deputy commissioner of operations, the NYPD experienced a decrease in murders in each successive year, and in 2005, the NYPD’s recorded 540 murders represented the lowest homicide number in New York’s history since 1963.
In September 2006, Newark Mayor Cory Booker selected McCarthy as director of the Newark Police Department, and since his appointment, the city has seen a significant reduction in crime. Murders are down 38%, and shootings are down 32%.
McCarthy’s crime-fighting success in Newark is due in large part to his common-sense approach to solving problems and his implementation of innovative programs. More police officers are patrolling Newark as a result of a reorganization of the department’s staffing structure. Precinct commanders have more authority, resulting in more accountability.
With an emphasis on drugs and guns, community relationships, and ethical conduct, several major crime initiatives and partnerships have contributed to McCarthy’s accomplishments. They include: the Quality of Life Initiative, the Central Narcotics Division; the Fugitive Apprehension Team; the Criminal Intelligence Unit; the Street Crimes Unit; the Vice Unit; the Gang Unit; the Aviation Unit; and the Gun/Crime Stoppers programs. In just a few short years, not only has the city of Newark seen a decline in crime, it also has witnessed a reduction in the fear of crime.
A native of the Bronx, New York, McCarthy comes from a family of law enforcement officers. His father was a detective for the NYPD and his brother was a New York State Trooper. Married for nearly 24 years, McCarthy and his wife, Gina, have two grown daughters and reside in Newark.
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