About Public Safety

NHA Public Safety focus is to reduce crime and maintain safety in all public housing communities. NHA created a public safety division in 2008. The mission of NHA’s Public Safety Department is to enhance the quality of life for residents living in public housing. By working cooperatively with residents, staff, the public, and law enforcement agencies, we are able to preserve the peace, reduce crime and provide a safe, drug-free environment in which to live, work and raise families.

This department focuses on our most challenged properties to effect real change by addressing issues like narcotics activity and quality of life issues in our housing communities. NHA continues to work towards the elimination of drug and other criminal activity on all sites.

Our “One Strike” Policy, along with other laws and regulations, will be vigorously enforced by the NHA staff in collaboration with Newark Police Department and the help of the community via tip lines, in conjunction with other information provided by NHA staff and residents. NHA has a ZERO tolerance approach to all criminal activity on our sites. Other lease violations will be addressed, just as stringently.

Within the NHA Public Safety Department, there is a 24-hour Communication Center, which answers calls for emergency maintenance and other Housing Authority services. The department has also employs armed and unarmed Public Safety Specialists who patrol NHA communities on foot, bicycles, and marked motor vehicles. The Specialists also monitor building surveillance equipment and respond to medical and burglar alarms. The department employs 20 NHA/ Newark Police Officers to work within the NHA housing communities.

NHA staff will conduct their work based on investigative strategies to include the use of the NHA Anonymous Tip line (973) 273-6681; Security Operations Center (SOC) (973) 273-6070 and the Newark Police Tip line 1(877) 695-8477; in conjunction with other information provided by NHA staff and residents.