Newark Police Department Will Let Muslim Officers Wear Hijabs

NEWARK, NJ — It’s a small change, but a big message, Newark officials say.

On Thursday, the Newark Police Department announced that it will now allow its officers to wear a hijab, a religious piece of headwear that is traditionally adopted by Muslim women.

Speaking at a news conference on Washington Street, Public Safety Director Brian O’Hara said the decision sends a message that the department values and respects its officers with Muslim backgrounds.

“The Newark Police Department is 80 percent Black and Brown, and 22 percent of our officers are female,” O’Hara said. “This change, which allows our Muslim female officers to wear the hijab in uniform, is appropriate and timely.”

O’Hara pointed out that the department has made other efforts to promote religious tolerance. For example, the city is the first in the nation to allow its police officers to wear beards for religious reasons.

According to a statement from city officials:

“Under the revised uniform provision, the hijabs will be blue, consistent with the Newark police authorized uniform shirt. And, for officer safety, the head covering is to be easily removable or ‘break-away’ with the use of Velcro or magnetic fastenings that release easily. It will also fit under the division-regulated headwear.”

Mayor Ras Baraka and members of the Newark faith-based community were on hand Thursday to lend support to the new policy.

“The vision to make this happen is correct,” Baraka said. “I think it has incredible significance that it’s taking place during the period of Ramadan, a month of sacrifice and prayer.”

“To be able to recognize people’s religion, how they practice it, and allow them to do that safely and appropriately at the work site, speaks volumes to where we’re going as a department and to where we’re going as a city,” Baraka said.

Watch a video of the news conference below.

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