Peter Harvey, a former state attorney general and the first African American to hold that position, was selected as Department of Justice monitor for Newark Police last year—at least in part because of what then-U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman called Harvey's “extraordinary reputation in the legal and law enforcement communities.” As attorney general, Harvey oversaw the consent decree stemming from a DOJ suit over racial profiling practices by New Jersey state troopers, and went beyond the terms of the decree to issue a directive banning racial profiling by any police officer in the state. He is currently a partner at Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler in New York.

Distinguished Leaders in many cases have praiseworthy careers, but most importantly they continue to be leaders in the profession. What are some of your proudest recent achievements?

In 2016, I was named the Independent Monitor of the Newark Department of Public Safety's Police Division (“NPD”). In this role, I am responsible for overseeing the implementation of the consent decree that resulted from the findings by the U.S. Department of Justice that NPD officers have engaged in a pattern or practice of unconstitutional policing. I am honored to have the opportunity to work with the NPD and the community of Newark as the NPD implements modern policing practices that will make Newark a safer place to live and work for all residents. I also am working on domestic violence and sexual assault policy issues through my service as a board member of Futures Without Violence (www.futureswithoutviolence.org). This work has led to my participation in the revisions to the National Football League's Personal Conduct Policy.