Commissioner of Public Safety


The New Jersey Commissioner of Public Safety heads one of the departments in those local governments in New Jersey that operate under the Walsh Act form of municipal governance, with oversight over the police and fire departments. This is a standalone position in Walsh Act municipalities with a five-member commission. In those commission forms with three members, this role is combined with the Commissioner of Public Affairs role into a consolidated Commissioner of Public Affairs and Public Safety.
Frank Hague, the mayor of Jersey City from 1917 to 1947, served as the city's Commissioner of Public Safety for his entire tenure.
Other states also have had public safety commissioners under the former city commission governments, such as Bull Connor in Birmingham, Alabama and J. Earl Downs in Shreveport, Louisiana. In several Louisiana cities, such as Alexandria and Bossier City, the mayor was also the public safety commissioner. This was prior to the implementation of the mayor-council governments.

Other commissioners

Five-Member Commissions
Three-Member Commissions