The South Orange/Maplewood Community Coalition on Race warmly congratulates Deputy Chief Niheema Malloy on her historic appointment as the next Chief of Police for the Township of Maplewood.

Chief Malloy’s appointment is both well-deserved and deeply significant for our community. As the first woman and first Black woman to serve as Maplewood Police Chief, she brings years of dedicated service, strong leadership, professionalism, and a clear commitment to community-centered policing.

The Coalition has had the privilege of working with Chief Malloy through anti-racism and equity initiatives with the Maplewood Police Department. Throughout those collaborations, we have appreciated her openness, thoughtful engagement, and willingness to participate in important conversations about equity, inclusion, public trust, and community partnership. Her commitment to relationship-building and respectful dialogue has consistently been evident.

We also applaud the Maplewood Township Committee for this important appointment and for its continued commitment to diverse leadership and community-centered policing. At a time when communities across the country continue to grapple with questions of public trust, equity, and safety, this appointment reflects values that are important to sustaining an inclusive and engaged community.

The Coalition also extends sincere gratitude and congratulations to Chief Albert Sally on his retirement after many years of dedicated service to Maplewood. We deeply appreciate his support of anti-racism training efforts within the department and his willingness to hear community concerns and work collaboratively toward solutions that strengthened trust and benefitted the broader community.

We congratulate Chief Malloy on this historic achievement and wish both Chief Malloy and Chief Sally the very best during this important transition.