Newark Prostitution Bust: Montville, Kearny Residents Arrested

NEWARK, NJ — Newark police arrested several people in connection with a prostitution operation last week, authorities said.

The “quality of life” operation was launched in the area of Sherman Avenue from East Bigelow and Clifton streets in response to citizen complaints, according to the Newark Department of Public Safety.

During the operation, four Newark residents were arrested. In addition, a 68-year-old Montville resident and a 46-year-old Kearny resident were also arrested, police stated. All were charged with soliciting prostitution.

“I commend members of the Vice Task Force for their commitment towards ensuring that the quality of life in our neighborhoods is always improving,” Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said. “These detectives provide an invaluable service to the people of the City of Newark.”

While some Newark residents have celebrated prostitution-related arrests in recent years, others have called them a return to the city's "failed and destructive Broken Windows policing strategies."

In the wake of a 2016 prostitution sting in Newark that resulted in 13 arrests, the ACLU of New Jersey stated that using the criminal justice system to harass, arrest and incarcerate “consenting adults who agree to exchange sex for money” is a poor use of the Newark Police Department’s limited resources.

• See related article: Newark Cops Have Better Things To Do Than Arrest Prostitutes, ACLU Says

"These arrests harm public health by stigmatizing sex workers and making their lives more difficult and dangerous,” ACLU-NJ Executive Director Udi Ofer said. “These crackdowns harm public safety by stoking fear of police among sex workers, and dissuading vulnerable communities from reaching out to police to report abuses."

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