Newark Welcomes 1st Openly Gay Police Captain, Diversifies Ranks

NEWARK, NJ — Newark’s police department swore-in its first openly gay captain and promoted 43 other officers at a ceremony on Wednesday.

The ceremony St. Lucy’s Church in Newark paid tribute to the efforts of 39 new police lieutenants and five new police captains. The diverse group of newly promoted supervisors included 12 black, 17 white and 15 Hispanic officers.

Garden State Equality, one of New Jersey’s largest LGBTQ advocacy groups, offered congratulations to the officers on social media.

“It’s truly an honor to welcome these new supervisors into higher ranks,” Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said. “[These] promotions reflect the professionalism these men and women have exhibited to the people of the City of Newark throughout their careers. I commend each one for their consistent willingness to take on challenging leadership tasks, always with the safety and highest good of our neighborhoods in mind.”

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