Mayor-elect James Solomon today announced the appointment of Anthony Ambrose as Acting Public Safety Director for the City of Jersey City. Ambrose, who served as Public Safety Director for the City of Newark from 2016 to 2021, brings more than three decades of law enforcement leadership experience to the role.

“Anthony Ambrose knows how to run a public safety operation that serves the people. Director Ambrose has a track record of delivering results and will bring a wealth of experience and stability to the Jersey City Public Safety Department,” said Mayor-elect Solomon. “He reduced violent crime, implemented body-worn cameras, built genuine community partnerships, and met the requirements of a federal consent decree. That’s the kind of proven leadership Jersey City needs right now. Acting Director Ambrose will assess what’s working, what isn’t, and give us an honest roadmap for building a public safety operation our people deserve.”

As Acting Director, Ambrose will focus on four immediate priorities: continuing to drive down gun violence and violent crime, addressing urgent needs in force morale and recruitment, ensuring Jersey City is fully prepared for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and America 250 celebrations, and conducting a comprehensive assessment of the city's public safety operations—including how we handle calls that don't require a police response—to provide recommendations for long-term structural improvements.

"After 35 years in public safety, I know what it takes to turn a department around. It starts with the personnel—you can't ask people to do a difficult job if you're not listening to them and giving them what they need to succeed,” said Acting Director Ambrose. “We've got work to do on morale and recruiting, and that's where I'm starting. At the same time, we've got the World Cup and America 250 coming, and Jersey City needs to be ready. And Mayor Solomon asked me to take a hard look at how things operate here - including whether we're using the right response for every type of call. That's what I intend to do."

During his tenure as Newark’s Public Safety Director, Ambrose oversaw the merger of Newark’s Police and Fire Departments and the Office of Emergency Management into a unified Department of Public Safety, managing over 2,300 employees and a $260 million annual budget. Under his leadership, Newark achieved a 44 percent reduction in homicides and a 70 percent reduction in robberies. He also successfully led the department through compliance with a Federal Department of Justice Consent Decree.

“Anthony Ambrose helped transform public safety in Newark. He led with integrity, held officers accountable, and never forgot that the job is about serving residents—not the other way around,” said Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. “He knows how to rebuild trust between a department and its community. Jersey City is getting someone who has done the work, not just talked about it. I’m confident he will bring the same dedication to Jersey City that he brought to Newark.”

Ambrose previously served as Newark’s Police Director and Chief of Police from 1999 to 2006, and as Chief of Detectives for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office from 2008 to 2016. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and holds a Master’s Degree in Administrative Sciences from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Ambrose begins his role as Acting Public Safety Director effective January 15, 2026.

About Mayor-elect Solomon

James Solomon was elected Mayor of Jersey City on December 2 with a mandate to pursue an aggressive agenda focused on affordability, modernizing city services and operations, and delivering a competent and effective government. Mayor-elect Solomon previously served as a two-term councilman, where he built a reputation for standing against corruption and fighting for housing affordability and a more responsive City government. Mayor-elect Solomon will take office on January 15.

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