East Orange Promotes New Top Cops, Trailblazing Police Captain

EAST ORANGE, NJ — East Orange has a new top cop, and he’s a familiar face in the city.

Maurice Boyd, a longtime police captain in East Orange, has been selected to lead the Department of Public Safety as its director. Boyd will oversee the East Orange Police Department, Fire Department and Office of Emergency Management.

Boyd – the first African American man to hold the position – has an impressive resume, city officials said:

“[Maurice] Boyd is a highly-experienced law enforcement officer with over 20 years of experience in a diverse array of positions. He has proven to be effective in communication, personnel management, relationship building and conflict management, as well as motivating personnel to maximize safety, security and service to local residents. He began his career with the East Orange Police Department in 2002 in the Patrol Division and has served in the following capacities: Member of Street Assertion Team, Enhanced Community Safety Team, Violent Crime Task Force, and Strategic Analysis Intelligence Unit; Administrative Sergeant in Chief’s Office, Lieutenant in the Chief’s Office; Medical Officer; and Captain and Commanding Officer of Enhanced Community Safety Team and Patrol Division. Throughout his tenure, he has earned numerous awards from various organizations, including the NYPD, Essex County PBA, and the East Orange Police Department. Boyd also formerly served as an assistant basketball coach for the East Orange Jaguars Varsity Basketball Team. He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, National Fraternal Order of Police and National Society of Leadership and Success.”

Mayor Ted Green and Public Safety Chairwoman Amy Lewis announced Boyd’s appointment on Thursday.

Green praised Boyd’s qualifications, saying that he is “well-respected among his colleagues” and has worked in nearly every unit of the city’s police department – starting with the patrol division where he began in 2002.

“As a member of the Street Crime Assertion Team, Enhanced Community Safety Team, Violent Crime Task Force and Strategic Analysis Intelligence Unit between 2003 and 2011, Director Boyd worked cooperatively with his fellow officers to successfully drive down crime in East Orange, a trend that has decreased over 80 percent over the past two decades,” Green said.

“Under his leadership and with his passion and commitment to the mission of serving the people of East Orange, I have every confidence that Director Boyd is the right man at the right time to lead East Orange into the future,” the mayor added.

The city’s newest director said he is “grateful and humbled” to accept his new role.

“I stand on the shoulders of many and I am thankful to all those who have influenced me in my career,” he said.

“As public safety director, I will continue to move forward the vision started by Mayor Green to positively influence the quality of life experienced by all of those who do business, work, live and visit our great city,” Boyd said, adding that his office will aim to “foster an atmosphere of purposefulness in protecting the community and resourcefulness in operations while bolstering professionalism.”

“The City of East Orange has made great strides through the revitalization of our community and the Public Safety Department is committed to the safety and well-being of every resident,” he said. “We ask you [the community] to stand with us as we stand with you.”

POLICE PROMOTIONS

In addition to Boyd’s promotion, three East Orange Police Department officers — Captain Larry Martin, a 27-year veteran, Captain Carla Roberts, a 23-year veteran, and Captain Calvin Anderson, a 23-year veteran — will be promoted to acting deputy chiefs.

Roberts is the first African American woman to hold a position as deputy chief in East Orange. Chief Phyllis Bindi was the first woman to earn the post, city officials said.

“I look forward to working this new team in their new roles within the police department,” Bindi said. “It’s been a long time coming for [these] deputy chiefs, and I am absolutely thrilled and certainly welcome another woman at this level of policing.”

“I also look forward to working with our new Public Safety Director Maurice Boyd, who I have worked closely with for many years and in many units,” Bindi said.

Lewis said she is looking forward to “great progress” under the leadership of Boyd and the city’s new acting deputy chiefs. That includes public safety initiatives such as increased police patrols, she added.

“I have every confidence that Director Boyd will lead this agency to where it needs to be and my committee and colleagues will continue to be here to support you,” Lewis said.

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