Newark Mayor Cory Booker is famous for his dedication, his drive and his general lack of sleep (the guy frequently whispers sweet nothings to his coffee via Twitter). He's always on. He's a pragmatist's reformer, not letting the perfect be the enemy of the good. And he's making a significant dent in Newark's crime rates... a significant and personal dent.
There's that time in 2006 when he and his security detail chased down a mugger outside city hall. And today, as Mayor Booker was traveling from block party to block party, he helped bust a drug deal. Booker wrote on his Twitter page:
On bbq circuit & observed a drug transaction. Officers I'm with stopped vehicle. Arrested some1 from White House Station for heroin purchase
White House Station is a wealthy suburb about half an hour to the west on Route 78. The Mayor continued:
Folks buy drugs in Nwk & have no idea how much violence & distruction they contribute 2.This purchase was right in front of bout 12 children
From the New York State Senate to Mark Sanford and beyond, so many of our public officials have been disappointing us with their selfishness in the last few weeks. And while there are a lot of good, hardworking politicians who don't go chasing down criminals, Mayor Booker's selfless devotion to Newark still ought to be recognized. The man is three years into his first term, and only recently did he take an extended trip away from the city (and much of it was spent attending meetings for the benefit of Newark).
So, thank you, Cory Booker. On behalf of everybody.