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Mayor Eldridge Hawkins Biography
July 2009

Eldridge Hawkins, Jr. was elected as the Mayor of Orange, New Jersey on May 13th, 2008 and assumed office on July 1, 2008. He is a law enforcement professional and businessman. Hawkins ran on an ambitious agenda of plans to make Orange safer, stabilize property taxes, improve education for people of all ages, and assure the honesty and integrity of government.

Mayor Hawkins has made Orange a city on the move. Transforming the Police Department from top to bottom, his focus on law enforcement and crackdown on street crime, gangs and drug dealers have made citizens feel safer and more secure. He reduced violent crime, created a gun buyback program, and established Special Police Officers to increase police presence on the streets.

Mayor Hawkins jump-started the city’s stalled redevelopment plans, stepped up enforcement of health, safety and housing laws, and created a private/public partnership to bring medical services directly into senior citizen housing.

To increase citizen involvement, Hawkins initiated televising and streaming video of City Council meetings, sponsors regular public forums, and redesigned the city website to make it easier for citizens to communicate their concerns and get fast action.

Named to “Cambridge Who’s Who Registry of Executives and Professionals 2007/08 Edition”, Eldridge Hawkins is the President of the New Jersey Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees). He is the founder of the Orange-Essex Jaycees, which is the first of its kind in a New Jersey urban community. In 2009, he was selected as one of Ebony Magazine’s Outstanding Young American Leaders.

Eldridge Hawkins is a decorated officer in the West Orange Police Department holding three commendations as well as the Essex County Police Benevolent Association Distinguished Service Award. He received his Police Training Commission Certification from the Morris County Police and Fire Training Academy.

In the private sector, Eldridge Hawkins was named Vector Marketing’s “Number One Salesman” and ”Number One Assistant Manager”. He also served as the Director of Operations for the nonprofit, Carl Lewis Fund, Inc. placing inner city youths in corporate internships. Hawkins attended the Professional School of Business, earning his Real-Estate License Prerequisite Certification. He became a New Jersey Licensed Realtor Associate for Jordan Baris, Inc. and manages his own real estate investments.