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Mayor Solomon Announces Comprehensive Public Safety Agenda on Day One, Including New Police Officers, Traffic Enforcement, and Vision Zero Recommitment
JERSEY CITY, NJ (January 16, 2026) — Mayor James Solomon today announced a sweeping public safety agenda aimed at protecting all residents of Jersey City. Joined by Acting Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose and Hudson County Executive Craig Guy, the Mayor unveiled a series of executive actions, directives, and initiatives that will take effect immediately.
"Today, we are sending a clear message: protecting the people of Jersey City is this administration's top priority," said Mayor James Solomon. "From making our streets safer to rebuilding our police force, we are taking immediate, concrete action. The people of Jersey City elected us to deliver results, and that work begins today."
Hiring 30 New Police Officers
Mayor Solomon announced that Jersey City will hire 30 new police officers through a new academy class in coordination with Hudson County. This initiative will rebuild staffing levels while helping to reshape the organizational culture of the Jersey City Police Department. The academy program is free for Hudson County municipalities, and funding for new hires is already budgeted.
Once fully trained, new officers will be assigned to the Patrol Division, expanding visible foot patrols and returning officers to neighborhood-based assignments. This approach will improve police visibility, enable informal problem-solving, and build trust between officers and the communities they serve.
Beyond hiring, the administration is working collaboratively with department leadership and unions to address retention and make it more attractive to stay with the JCPD.
"Hudson County is proud to partner with Mayor Solomon and Jersey City on this important initiative," said Hudson County Executive Craig Guy. "By coordinating through our county academy, we can get these officers trained and on the streets faster. This is exactly the kind of regional collaboration that makes our communities safer. Jersey City deserves a fully-staffed police department, and we're committed to helping make that happen."
Reestablishing Traffic Enforcement Division
The Mayor signed an Executive Order reestablishing the Jersey City Police Department Traffic Enforcement Division as a dedicated unit responsible for citywide traffic safety enforcement. The order mandates data-informed deployment focused on the Vision Zero high-injury network, school zones, and areas with repeat crash patterns, as well as prioritized enforcement against speeding, reckless driving, impaired driving, distracted driving, dangerous parking and similar violations.
Success will be measured by clear metrics: reductions in traffic crashes, deaths, injuries, and property damage—along with an increased sense of safety and quality of life for all residents.
The dedicated traffic enforcement unit will also free up patrol officers to focus on neighborhood-level community policing, allowing both units to do what they do best.
Recommitment to Vision Zero
The administration announced its intention to renew Jersey City's commitment to Vision Zero and re-establish a revamped Vision Zero Task Force. Mayor Solomon’s Chief of Staff Laura Bustamante will chair the task force, signaling the administration's commitment to eliminating traffic fatalities. In 2025, six community members lost their lives and 39 were seriously injured in traffic crashes on city streets.
"The only acceptable number of traffic fatalities is zero," said Acting Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose. "Every traffic death on our streets is preventable. With the reestablishment of our Traffic Enforcement Division, our directive to the Municipal Prosecutor, and our recommitment to Vision Zero, we are putting in place the infrastructure we need to make our streets safe for everyone—pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike. This is about protecting lives."
Maximum Accountability for Traffic Violations
Mayor Solomon issued a memorandum to the Municipal Prosecutor stating that addressing dangerous traffic violations is a priority of the Administration and that the Administration expects the Municipal Prosecutor’s Office to pursue maximum accountability, including by seeking the full range of statutorily authorized penalties for violations including impaired driving, passing stopped school buses, speeding in school zones, reckless driving, failure to yield to pedestrians or cyclists, and distracted driving.
"This is what Day One looks like when you have an administration that is serious about public safety," added Acting Director Ambrose. "We're not making promises—we're taking action. The Mayor has given us the tools and the mandate to protect this city, and that's exactly what we intend to do."