After 9 months of continued pressure on Newark’s Public Safety Committee by NWK Documenters, the city’s public safety website is now updated!

Since July 2024, NWK Documenters have emailed, called, and questioned the Public Safety Committee in person to get answers as to why the public safety website had not been updated since 2022. It was only at the recent Public Safety Town Hall meeting on March 26, 2025, that we were able to get some type of response. NWK Documenters showed up and asked what the plans were to keep the community informed on public meetings and when the website’s event calendar would finally be updated. One officer explained it was all on social media, while another officer incorrectly insisted it was on the website. The two officers went back and forth until finally providing their business cards and promising to follow up. To their credit, they did send an email the following day with new flyers posted on the website.

For reference, this is how the website's event page looked before (and yes, that does say 2022):

This is what it looks like now:

A big issue with Newark’s Public Safety Committee—and many other public agencies in Newark—is that they only post on social media. While there is no denying that we are in the age of social media, posting solely on these platforms excludes community members with no internet access or who do not use social media. Another persistent issue with Newark’s public agencies is the absence of one central location or calendar where community members can access city-wide event information. Instead, Newark residents must dig through social media posts to find meetings—most times with no result. In Newark, the Public Safety Committee holds community meetings divided by precincts across the different wards. While one precinct may actively and regularly engage with the community, others do not. There is no set or regular time for these meetings either. A solution to this problem would be for the City of Newark to create a centralized calendar, which would also help identify which precincts are not actively engaging their community.

We will continue to monitor the website to ensure it remains updated. We will not allow the Public Safety Committee to take another two-year hiatus and keep our community in the dark. Consistent and transparent public meetings are essential to a thriving democracy. Public meetings allow community members to name their concerns and advocate for a Newark that works for everyone—not just the few. The more voices that show up, the more pressure it puts on public agencies to listen. When agencies fail in their transparency, NWK Documenters holds them accountable. Join NWK Documenters to help fight for transparency around the city!