New Jersey mayors are joining Newark's fight for stronger police accountability — and calling on state leaders to support civilian oversight of alleged officer misconduct. 

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka on Tuesday said he drafted new legislation that would empower the city's Civilian Complaint Review Board — and any others formed across the state — with the ability to compel officers to testify and force police departments to hand over records during investigations.

"We want to be protected from murder and homicide in our own community, but we also want to be protected from abuse and unconstitutional policing from police officers," Baraka said during a press conference on the steps of Newark City Hall on Tuesday. 

Last week, New Jersey’s highest court ruled state law prevented Newark's civilian oversight board — which was created by the city council through an ordinance in 2016 — from wielding subpoena power. The court said the council, which has subpoena power, could not confer those powers to the oversight panel since it was not a subcommittee. 

Baraka's legislation will explicitly allow elected municipal bodies to transfer their subpoena power to civilians boards overseeing police. Baraka said he wants to merge his proposal with a current bill sponsored by Assemblywoman Angela McKnight (D-Hudson) that would create civilian oversight in every town. 

Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose, who oversees Newark's police department, said in an emailed statement that he supports a civilian review board. 

"I believe it will help to build trust with the people we serve as long we conform to city and state ordinances," he said. 

Ambrose did not attend the press conference. But Baraka was joined by Orange Mayor Dwayne Warren and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, who called on Gov. Phil Murphy and Attorney General Gurbir Grewal to express their support for civilian oversight of police. 

"There has been zero conversation from anybody in Trenton saying, 'This makes a lot of sense, why would we not want a civilian complaint review board?' We can change this with a stroke of a pen tomorrow, but it hasn't happened," Fulop said. 

Jersey City Councilman James Solomon has proposed an ordinance to create a civilian oversight board in that city. He said the ordinance will likely include a trigger to give the board subpoena powers should state law eventually allow it. 

Newark's 11-member panel has been meeting and is currently taking complaints from residents at ccrbinfo@ci.newark.nj.us or at 973-792-9160.