Editing New Bedford, Massachusetts (section)

==Government==

===City===
[[File:New Bedford MA City Hall.jpg|thumb|upright|New Bedford City Hall]]
New Bedford is governed by a Mayor-Council form of government. City Council members serve two-year terms.<ref name= "Citycode">{{cite web |title=New Bedford- Code of Ordinances- Charter |url=https://library.municode.com/ma/new_bedford/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=CH |website=MC New Bedford, MA |publisher=Municode Library |access-date=August 6, 2021 |archive-date=August 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210819171439/https://library.municode.com/ma/new_bedford/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=CH |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2019, following a change in the city charter, the mayoral term was doubled from two years to four years.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Nesi |first1=Ted |title=Mayors in Fall River, Attleboro get challengers; Taunton's is unopposed |url=https://www.wpri.com/news/local-news/se-mass/mayors-in-fall-river-attleboro-get-challengers-tauntons-is-unopposed/ |access-date=August 5, 2021 |work=WPRI |publisher=Nexstar Media Group |date=August 3, 2021 |archive-date=August 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210814032222/https://www.wpri.com/news/local-news/se-mass/mayors-in-fall-river-attleboro-get-challengers-tauntons-is-unopposed/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The council<ref name= "Citycode" /> and mayoral positions do not have term limits.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Nesi |first1=Ted |title=At least 5 candidates running for New Bedford mayor |url=https://www.wpri.com/news/local-news/se-mass/5-candidates-running-for-new-bedford-mayor/ |access-date=August 5, 2021 |work=WPRI |publisher=Nexstar Media Group |date=September 3, 2019 |archive-date=August 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210819171438/https://www.wpri.com/news/local-news/se-mass/5-candidates-running-for-new-bedford-mayor/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Former [[assistant U.S. Attorney]] [[Jon Mitchell (politician)|Jonathan F. Mitchell]], defeated State Representative [[Antonio Cabral|Antonio F.D. Cabral]] in the 2011 mayoral election.<ref>{{cite web |author=Dan McDonald |url=http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20111109%2FNEWS%2F111090329%2F-1%2Fnews |title=Mitchell tops Cabral to become 38th mayor of New Bedford |publisher=SouthCoastToday.com |date=November 9, 2011 |access-date=November 19, 2011 |archive-date=September 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120910000445/http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111109/NEWS/111090329/-1/news |url-status=live }}</ref> Mitchell was re-elected to his fifth consecutive term as mayor in the 2019 election, defeating challenger Tyson Moultrie.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mitchell wins re-election in New Bedford mayor race |url=https://www.wpri.com/news/elections/mitchell-wins-new-bedford-mayor-race/ |access-date=August 5, 2021 |work=WPRI |publisher=Nexstar Media Group |date=November 5, 2019 |archive-date=August 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210819171441/https://www.wpri.com/news/elections/mitchell-wins-new-bedford-mayor-race/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2021, Joseph Lopes was re-elected to a second consecutive term as president of the City Council.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dunlop |first1=Kiernan |title=COVID and Cannabis: Newly re-elected New Bedford Council president discusses big issues for 2021 |url=https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/news/politics/government/2021/01/12/new-bedford-city-council-re-elects-joseph-lopes-president-covid-cannabis/6642347002/ |access-date=August 5, 2021 |work=South Coast Today |publisher=The Standard-Times |date=January 12, 2021 |archive-date=August 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210819171439/https://www.southcoasttoday.com/story/news/politics/government/2021/01/12/new-bedford-city-council-re-elects-joseph-lopes-president-covid-cannabis/6642347002/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The New Bedford Police Department patrols the city from four stations. The main station is on Rockdale Avenue in a converted supermarket plaza and replaces the former headquarters (located downtown). There are also branches in the North End (at the intersection of Tarkiln Hill Road and Ashley Boulevard), South End (along Cove Street near the end of Route 18), and Downtown (on Pleasant Street near City Hall). The Chief of Police is Joseph Cordeiro.

There are four post offices, the Central (modeled after New York's [[James A. Farley Building|James A. Farley Post Office]]) located downtown, one in the South End, and two in the North End.

The city provides weekly trash and recycling pickup, and operated a trash dump in the Mount Pleasant area between the regional airport and the Whaling City Golf Course. Owing to pollution concerns, it closed in the 1990s.

===County===
The Bristol County Sheriff's Office operates the [[Ash Street Jail and Regional Lock-Up]] and the Juvenile Secure Alternative Lock Up Program (JALP) in New Bedford. The Ash Street jail houses over 200 pre-trial prisoners and a few sentenced inmate workers for the system. JALP houses up to 12 pre-arraignment juvenile prisoners.<ref name="JailFacilities">"[http://www.bcso-ma.us/facilities.htm Facilities] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120103121951/http://www.bcso-ma.us/facilities.htm |date=January 3, 2012 }}." Bristol County Sheriff's Office. Retrieved on January 30, 2012. "Juvenile Secure Alternative Lock Up Program 323 Mill Street New Bedford, MA 02740 " and "Ash Street Jail and Regional Lock-Up 226 Ash Street New Bedford, MA 02740 "</ref>

===State and federal===
New Bedford is represented in the [[Massachusetts General Court|state legislature]] by officials elected from the following districts:
* [[Massachusetts Senate's 2nd Bristol and Plymouth district]]<ref name="Acts2011">{{citation |url=https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2011/Chapter152 |access-date=August 23, 2020 |work=Session Laws: Acts (2011) |title=An Act Establishing Executive Councillor and Senatorial Districts |author=Massachusetts General Court |archive-date=March 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220331163214/https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2011/Chapter152 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Massachusetts House of Representatives' 8th Bristol district]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/eledist/reps11idx.htm |title=Massachusetts Representative Districts |access-date=August 23, 2020 |work=Sec.state.ma.us |archive-date=May 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520200244/https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/eledist/reps11idx.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Massachusetts House of Representatives' 9th Bristol district]]
* [[Massachusetts House of Representatives' 10th Bristol district]]
* [[Massachusetts House of Representatives' 11th Bristol district]]
* [[Massachusetts House of Representatives' 13th Bristol district]]

The Third Barracks of Troop D of the [[Massachusetts State Police]], located nearby in Dartmouth, patrol New Bedford.

The city is part of [[Massachusetts's 9th congressional district]], represented by Democrat [[William R. Keating]]. The state's junior (Class I) [[U.S. Senator]] is Democrat [[Ed Markey]], elected in a special election in 2013. The state's senior senator is Democrat [[Elizabeth Warren]], re-elected in 2024. The city is part of the 1st Governor's Council district, represented by Democrat Joseph Ferreira.

{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="6" | Voter registration and party enrollment as of October 23, 2024<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/download/research-and-statistics/enrollment_count_20241105.pdf|title=Registered Voters and Party Enrollment as of October 23, 2024|publisher=Massachusetts Elections Division|access-date=January 28, 2025|archive-date=January 1, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190101051327/https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepdf/enrollment_count_20181017.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! colspan="2" | Party
! Number of voters
! Percentage
|-
| {{party color cell|Independent Party (United States)}}
| [[Unenrolled voter|Unenrolled]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 45,613
| style="text-align:center;" | 64.34%
|-
| {{party color cell|Democratic Party (United States)}}
| [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 19,978
| style="text-align:center;" | 28.18%
|-
| {{party color cell|Republican Party (United States)}}
| [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 4,326
| style="text-align:center;" | 6.10%
|-
| {{party color cell|Libertarian Party (United States)}}
| [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian]]
| style="text-align:center;" | 285
| style="text-align:center;" | 0.40%
|-
! colspan="2" | Total
! style="text-align:center;" | 70,890
! style="text-align:center;" | 100%
|}

===Fire department===
[[File:Engine 8, New Bedford, Massachusetts.jpg|thumb|right|Engine 8, on Acushnet Ave.]]
The city of New Bedford is currently protected by the city of New Bedford Fire Department (NBFD).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newbedford-ma.gov/fire/overview.html|title=Dept. Home - Fire Department - City of New Bedford Official Website|website=www.newbedford-ma.gov|access-date=February 22, 2013|archive-date=June 25, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130625143211/http://www.newbedford-ma.gov/fire/overview.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Established in 1834, the New Bedford Fire Department currently operates out of six Fire Stations, located throughout the city in two Districts, under the command of two District Chiefs per shift. The New Bedford Fire Department currently maintains and operates a fire apparatus fleet of six Engines, three Ladders, one Fireboat, one Air Cascade Unit, one Foam Trailer, and one ARFF Crash Rescue Unit (cross staffed by Engine 7) based at New Bedford Regional Airport and 4 reserve apparatus (3 engines, 1 ladder). The NBFD is made up of 203 full-time uniformed professional firefighters, including a Chief of department, a Deputy Chief, 10 District Chiefs, 12 Captains, 29 Lieutenants, 152 Firefighters, 4 Fire Investigators, and 5 Civilian Personnel. The New Bedford Fire Department responds to approximately 15,000 emergency calls annually.

In 2015, the New Bedford Fire Department received the "Class 1" ISO (Insurance Service Office) distinction becoming just the 3rd city in the state, Boston and Cambridge being the other two, to receive such a rating. New Bedford has been known to be a very aggressive interior attack department when responding to fire emergencies, and has been considered to be among the best in the state.

Below is a complete listing of all fire station and fire apparatus locations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newbedford-ma.gov/fire/firestations.html|title=Fire Station Locations - Fire Department - City of New Bedford Official Website|website=www.newbedford-ma.gov|access-date=February 22, 2013|archive-date=June 25, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130625101811/http://www.newbedford-ma.gov/fire/firestations.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In addition to the seven Fire Stations, the NBFD also operates a fire apparatus maintenance facility/repair shop at 311 Liberty St., an Emergency Management facility at 834 Kempton St., and a Fire Museum at 51 Bedford St.

Fire Headquarters is located at 868 Pleasant St. and the Fire Prevention Bureau is located at 1204 Purchase St.
{| class=wikitable
|- valign=bottom
! Engine company
! Ladder company
! Special unit
! Command unit
! Address
|-
| Engine 1 || Ladder 1 || Foam Trailer and Air Cascade Unit || Unit 2 (District Chief) || 868 Pleasant St.
|-
| Engine 5 || || || || 3665 Acushnet Ave.
|-
| Engine 6 || Ladder 3 || Reserve Engine 26|| || Brock Ave and Ruth St.
|-
| Engine 7 || || Reserve Engine 21|| || 700 Cottage St.
|-
| Engine 8 || Ladder 4 || ||Unit 1 (District Chief) || 1599 Acushnet Ave.
|-
| Engine 9 || || || || 799 Ashley Blvd.
|}

===Law enforcement===
Law enforcement in New Bedford is provided by the [[New Bedford Police Department]].