Newark: where the murders abound, the mayor will shovel your streets and one day soon the fried chicken joints will have armed guards. Yesterday the Newark City Council approved an ordinance that will require any eatery that serves less than 20 customers to post an armed guard on premises if they are open past 9 p.m.

The ordinance comes a month after a Newark resident and police officer, William Johnson, was shot and killed while waiting to buy a slice of pizza from a joint called Texas Fried Chicken and Pizza. According to the new rule's sponsor, Councilman Ras Baraka, the change shouldn't be a big deal as the chicken shacks and pizza joints that stay open late "do little to serve the community and encourage crime."

"Most of these stores provide security for themselves but not for the customers they bring in," Baraka said Wednesday of the often bullet-proof glass encased joints that will now be forced to hire armed security guards. And if places can't afford a guard, the city will make them shut down at night (sit-down eateries with more than 20 seats will not be required to hire guards). On the plus side, the new rule should be a boon for off-duty police offers looking to make a few extra bucks (or bites)?