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Police Director, Newark, New Jersey

BIO

Garry Francis McCarthy was born on May 4, 1959 in the Bronx, New York where he was the youngest of three children raised by his father, James, a World War II Marine and a New York Detective, and his mother, Marcella, a nurse. In 1981 Garry followed in his father’s and brother’s footsteps in pursuit of a career in law enforcement with the New York Police Department. Garry’s brother James, was a NY State Trooper and presently works for Cit-Group, while his other brother Sean currently works in the technology industry in the State of Wisconsin.

In 1983 Garry met his wife Gina and they wed on June 22, 1985 after which he began his own family in the Bronx, NY. Gina, who is currently a nursing student, gave birth to their two lovely daughters Kimberly, 19 and Kyla, 22, now both in college.

As Garry’s family began to grow and develop as did his reputation as a promising young patrolman who quickly rose through the ranks of the NYPD. In November of 1985 Garry McCarthy was promoted to Sergeant; in November of 1989 he was promoted to Lieutenant; in October of 1992 he was promoted to Captain; in 1997 he was promoted to Deputy Inspector; and in 1999 he was promoted to Inspector. In 2000 Garry was promoted to his final rank within the NYPD where in recognition of his outstanding leadership and many fine accomplishments throughout the Department, he was appointed as Deputy Commissioner of Operations where he served as the principal crime strategist for the entire department. During his seven year tenure, the Police Department saw a progressive decline in murders every year having recorded 540 murders in 2005 representing the lowest number in New York’s history since 1963.

As a supervisor, Garry repeatedly distinguished himself as capable of toppling the grandest of tasks, commanding three separate precincts over a five year period and bringing significant innovative changes and improvements to each: the 20th on the Upper West Side: the 33rd in Washington Heights: and the 70th in Flatbush. McCarthy was sent to the 70th precinct immediately following the Abner Louima torture case in which officers from the 70th precinct were convicted of brutally assaulting and sodomizing a Haitian immigrant inside the precinct. Under McCarthy’s leadership not only did he manage a double digit crime reduction within the precinct, but his reduction of citizens complaints against his officers, in a precinct under tremendous scrutiny upon his arrival, drew the national attention and accolades of the US Attorney’s Office.

In September of 2006 after a national search of candidates, Garry F. McCarthy was tapped to lead the Newark Police Department by new Mayor Cory Booker. Mayor Booker who had made violent crime reduction the cornerstone of his election campaign sought one of the most proven crime strategists to lead one of the greatest urban transformations in the nation’s history. Garry facing perhaps one of his most daunting tasks in his law enforcement career pledged to continue to produce the type of positive results responsible for his reputation.
In July of 2006 when the City of Newark changed administrations, murder was up nearly 10 percent and the City was gripped by violent crime. Through a combination of organizational changes and the implementation of various systems and strategic policing initiatives the Department began to show small signs of progress by year’s end.

In 2007 McCarthy’s first full year at the helm of the Newark Police Department the City experienced a 9 percent reduction in murder, its first since 2002; while many other major urban cities throughout the country continued to experience increases. In 2008 Director McCarthy’s leadership has surpassed all expectations and thrust Newark into the spotlight as the nation’s leader in violent crime reduction for cities with a population of more than 200,000. Newark has reduced murder by 32 percent (67/99) and shooting victims by 13 percent translating into 53 fewer victims than in 2007. Murders and shootings since 2006 have been reduced by a total of 37 percent (67/107) and 32 percent (297/435) respectively with 159 fewer victims than in 2006.

Under the competent leadership of Garry McCarthy the Newark Police Department has not only reduced crime but has increased productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness, all while reducing spending and improving the quality of police services delivered to the public. The Department has increased its arrests by 17 percent since 2006 with 21 percent fewer complaints against our officers; an overtime reduction of 26 percent; and a sick time reduction of 52 percent which represent a total of $6.3 million dollars in savings for taxpayers over the past two years.

Director Garry McCarthy through his keen management skills and many years as an innovator in intelligent policing has once again demonstrated his ability to produce positive and tangible results in the field of public safety; which can be directly credited for saving thousands of lives over the course of his distinguished career in law enforcement.