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. 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.

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.