NEWARK — Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé said perception becomes reality during a Tuesday meeting updating the community on the U.S. Justice Department’s Consent Decree requiring improved quality of policing in New Jersey’s largest city.
Fragé was answering questions concerning polling results in the latest consent decree report finding that “perceptions of public safety in Newark have generally declined,” as compared to before the pandemic.
“Perception is usually the reality for most people,” Fragé said. “If you perceive that you’re not safe. If you perceive that there’s concern, it’s going to be a reality whether it’s true or not.”