Newark City Council on Wednesday fully passed an ordinance that will divert about $11.4 million – or 5% – from the city’s public safety budget to turn a police precinct into headquarters for social services.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka signed the ordinance hours later outside the city’s First Precinct, which will eventually be moved to make room for the new Office of Violence Prevention. The office will house social workers who will be dispatched to handle calls about mental health, homelessness or drug abuse…