Booker to Focus on Cops, Development in What May be Final Months as Mayor

Correction appended June 10

Mayor Cory Booker said Saturday he would spend the next few months pushing through what would be his final legislative agenda for Newark should he be elected senator during a special October election.

“I’m going to use this office to the last second,” Booker said during a press conference at the downtown offices of Audible.com to officially announce his bid for the unexpired term of Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg, who died June 3.

Gov. Chris Christie called for a special primary election Aug. 13 and the senate election for Oct. 16, although that date has been challenged by Democrats who want the election held the same November date  as the gubernatorial election.

Should the heavily favored Booker win in October (or November), the 44-year-old* would leave office with several months left on his own mayoral term, which expires in July 2014. Over the next few months, Booker said Saturday he will pursue a program that includes creating a civilian review board for the Newark Police Department, a first for the agency.

Such a board had been advocated for years by council members Ras Baraka -- a contender for Booker’s job as mayor -- and Ron Rice. Earlier this year, during his state of the city speech, Booker promised to get such an agency off the ground in 2013.

Booker said he wants to achieve “transparency” and “accountability” for the 1,000-member force, describing it as “the legacy I want to leave.”

The possibly outgoing mayor also identified hiring more police as a major priority if the next few months prove to be his last at city hall, reflecting another promise made during his state of the city address. The department, which up until a few years ago had 1,500 sworn officers, will see an additional 50 police hired this year.

Booker wants the budget structured so that future city governments will be able to hire at least an additional 50 more annually for each of the next four years.

Booker also said he wanted to finish shepherding various development deals that would see more businesses moving into Newark, following in the footsteps of corporations like Panasonic, Manischewitz and Marriot that have opened or are opening facilities here.

Without disclosing specifics, Booker said he would have “some exciting announcements to make” in the next few months.

Booker also said he would work to imporve educational and other opportunities for children, who will “always be the principal focus of my agenda,” and other reforms, including programs to help those who have served jail time re-enter the workforce.

“I will not stop being an innovator.... we will be hopfeully be bringing these innovations all over the state.”

*Correction - The orginal version of this article missated Booker's age.