Newark Cop Rises Through Ranks With Her ‘Meticulous Skillset’

NEWARK, NJ — The Newark Department of Public Safety recently gave a round of applause for its deputy director of police operations in honor of National Police Women’s Day.

According to the department, Sharonda Morris – a longtime veteran of the force – has been a member of the city’s Police Division for 26 years, rising through its ranks to her current post. She joined the Police Division in 1998 as a West District foot patrol officer and moved up to detective two years later. She held that post for eight years, serving a stint in the human resources department, where Morris was “fiscally responsible and observant,” administrators said.

The department cited a specific example of her financial prudence in a news release: “Morris monitored the Police Divisions’ overtime schedule and was responsible for discovering outstanding funds the division had not been paid from the state of New Jersey for outside employment amounting to $1 million.”

The department of safety gave some additional background about Morris’ rise through the force:

“Her meticulous skillset didn’t go unnoticed when she was promoted to sergeant in 2008. During the following eight years, Morris led several police districts, supervised patrol units, implemented strategies to track and reduce crime, and managed the Police Division’s finances. In 2016, she was transferred to the Office of Professional Standards as an investigative sergeant. As her professional value grew, Morris was quickly promoted to lieutenant, then to executive officer in 2017. Diligently showcasing a leadership pedigree that would again be recognized, she was promoted to commanding captain of the Office of Professional Standards in 2020. In 2021, Morris was tapped by Mayor Ras Baraka to serve as deputy director of police operations. In this current role, she assists the public safety director in guiding the daily operations of the Newark Police Division.”

Morris, a graduate of University High School in Newark and Rutgers University-Newark, is currently pursuing a master’s degree in public administration.

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