The Newark Municipal Council on Dec. 18 approved a lease with Fidelco LLC for space to house the Police Department’s Office of Professional Standards and confirmed the appointment of Emmanuel Miranda Senior as director of public safety.

Public reaction was mixed. Several residents asked why the city was leasing office space (monthly rent and build-out costs were discussed); they urged the city to use vacant municipal property instead of paying private rents. Others pressed for more visible on-foot policing and a return to “hot-spot” patrols, asking why money was being spent on leases and substations rather than boots-on-the-ground enforcement, block-the-box enforcement and better downtown response.

Administration said the existing Office of Professional Standards was already housed in Fidelco-owned space and that a new lease includes a build-out by the landlord (approximately $200,000 in vendor-funded fit-out) and represented the most competitive option for location and cost. Deputy Mayor and Economic Development staff explained the previous lease had expired and that the chosen location lets OPS remain central to police operations.

Appointment vote: Council confirmed Emmanuel Miranda Senior as director of public safety by roll call.

What speakers asked for: More on-beat walking patrols to address shootings, robberies and traffic issues; better deployment of officers to hot spots; and that the city reconsider expensive leased spaces while municipal property remains unused. Several speakers also asked for accounting of recurring lease costs.

Ending: Council approved the lease and the appointment. Members and residents asked the new public-safety director to prioritize patrol strategies and to brief the council on deployment plans early in his tenure.