TRENTON – In the wake of the worldwide protests against the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, State Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal outlined plans to revise how New Jersey officers use force.
The Use of Force Policy will determine when the state’s 36,000 law enforcement officers can and can’t use force against civilians. Additionally, there will be public comment on this policy. Residents can comment online and there will also be listening sessions in every county hosted by the county prosecutor.
Grewal will host an online forum on June 24 to discuss the current policy and describe some of the changes that might occur. You can register for this by visiting register.gotowebinar.com/register/2061728745537443599.
“The Use of Force Policy affects everyone, and so everyone should have the opportunity to weigh in on its revisions,” said Attorney General Grewal. “We want to hear from a broad cross-section of our state: police officers, civil rights advocates, religious leaders, victims’ rights organizations, and community members. We especially want to hear from those that have had negative experiences with law enforcement officers because we are committed to getting this right. By engaging residents across New Jersey, we will ensure that the updated policy reflects New Jersey’s values.”
The public comments can be given at nj.gov/oag/force, which will be open through August 1, 2020. The portal allows residents to submit comments about any aspect of the Use of Force Policy, but specifically requests input on topics that will be discussed as part of the revision process, including:
- Specific tactics designed to subdue a subject (e.g., chokeholds, neck restraints, strikes to the head and face, use of police dogs);
- Engaging subjects with serious mental illness or substance abuse issues;
- Exhausting all other reasonable means (e.g., verbal warnings) and pursuing de-escalation before resorting to deadly force;
- Applying force proportionate to the subject’s alleged conduct (e.g., limiting the use of force when the subject has committed a non-violent offense);
- Less-than-lethal uses of force (e.g., bean bag shots, rubber bullets, disabling netting);
- Duty to intervene when another officer engages in excessive use of force;
- Firing a weapon at a moving vehicle;
- High-speed car pursuits;
- Reporting and training requirements; and
- Any other proposals that reduce the risk of injury and death to civilians while maintaining the safety of police officers.
